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LARA JO HIGHTOWER NWA Democrat-Gazette I n a show-stopping monologue at the top of Bryna Turner's "At the Wedding," main character Carlo details the lofty heights of falling in love: "Food will taste better/Music will sound better/You will suddenly comprehend /Every line in every book you've ever read/As it was meant to be comprehended," she says. Lovely. But, as Carlo knows better than anybody, not every love story has a happy ending, and the monologue is a roller coaster of a speech that launches the audience as witnesses to the most painful evening Carlo has ever experienced. Turner's dialogue, fast- paced and crackling with wit, keeps things from becoming too maudlin while still providing plenty of thought- provoking moments that point toward a message of hope and optimism. As a whole, the show seems a perfect choice for TheatreSquared's first live production since the pandemic started. "'At the Wedding' is a quirky, fast- paced, very funny 70 minutes of pure joy and chaos," says director Keira Fromm, who last directed T2's 2018 production of "Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley." "It's a dark comedy about love and loss, set against the backdrop of a wedding, with a killer soundtrack. Comedy feels like the perfect draw to get back to the theater. Laughter is very restorative, and I think people want and need the opportunity to laugh after this year of isolation." Turner's writing style is distinctive: Her scripts might look more like poems on the page, but her dialogue is grounded, visceral and contemporary. "This is the second play of Bryna Turner's I've directed," says Fromm. "The first play, 'Bull in a China Shop,' I was drawn to for two reasons: [First,] it's a play about feminism, and [second,] I was compelled by the way the words were laid out on the page. Bryna's plays are deeply poetic. She loves language and uses it with great intention. This is the case with 'At the Wedding,' too. The poetry is a primary feature. And yet, at the same time, she writes these very authentic, complex characters who you can't help but identify with. So much of this play is about making space for change in your life. Some characters are embracing that notion confidently; others are defiantly resisting. That makes for some really exciting and explosive moments in the theater." "As an audience member, I saw a production of 'Bull in a China Shop,' and there is something really melodic about her writing," agrees Tyler Meredith, who plays Carlo. "I do a lot of Shakespeare, and I told [Turner], 'Whether you want to or not, you write in iambic pentameter.' She doesn't, really, but it has that feeling. I think 'lyrical' is the perfect way to describe it. There's a melody to it. And, somehow, it's incredibly contemporary." Meredith worked on "At the Wedding" in its workshop phase during the 2019 Arkansas New Play Fest. The role of caustic, cynical Carlo is worlds apart from that of the titular role in "Miss Bennet," which she played in late 2018. "If people hadn't seen [the workshop production], but maybe had only seen me in 'Miss Bennett,' it couldn't be more different, which is so exciting for me," she says. "I love that this character is a bit unhinged but incredibly charismatic. She has some qualities and elements that I don't normally get to Invited To The Wedding Tyler Meredith (from left), Brianna Buckley and Eduardo Xavier Curley-Carillo star in the TheatreSquared production of "At the Wedding," a new play by Bryna Turner that will mark T2's return to live theater. (Courtesy Photo/Wesley Hitt for T2) APril 25-MAy 1, 2021 WHAT'S uP! 3 Cover story Faq 'At the Wedding' WHEN — 7:30 p.m. tues- day-saturday and 2 p.m saturday-sunday, April 28-June 13 WHERE — theatresquared, 477 W. spring st., Fayetteville COST — $51-$70 INFO — 777-7477 see Wedding Page 4 T2's return to live theater exciting, emotional