By VALERIE METREJEAN

Staff Writer

With production less than a week a way, the cast and crew for "A Man of All Seasons" can be found in Stone Theatre, located on the west wing of Howard Auditorium, Center for the Performing Arts, six nights of the week preparing for what the director calls a "heroic drama."

"It is about the dilemma one man creates trying to stay true to himself," Dr. Kenneth Robbins, director and a professor of performing arts, said.

The plot of the play involves Henry VIII trying to get Sir Thomas More to approve his divorce from Catherine so the king can marry his mistress. More is torn between his faith and the king.

Timothy Makin, a senior speech major, who plays Sir Thomas More, said the play will be "a drama that will definitely have its witty moments."

Robbins said he is expecting a different crowd than those who normally come for this particular play and thinks it will stay in the minds of those who watch.

"We have a very religious community, and I think this play is for the religious crowd more than other plays have been," Robbins said.

"Our goal is that when the audience leaves, we give them something to think and talk about."

Robbins said he is proud of the 14-member cast.

"They are fabulous, and I say that with a smile on my face, because I truly believe the cast is great," Robbins said.

Robbins said they enjoy rehearsal and each other.

David Reed, who plays King Henry VIII and is a graduate student of speech, said he agrees with Robbins.

"I like working with a smaller cast because we seem to have better chemistry," Reed said. "It really is a tight-knit cast."

Reed said the closeness of the cast has a lot to do with spending most nights together in rehearsal, usually from 7 to 10:30 p.m.

"I have a lot of down time, so if I already know my lines I usually try to see what else I can do to help practices run smoothly and give everyone moral support," Reed said.

Robbins said the backdrop will look different from the standard painted background scene.

"A projector will cast the background image up onto 20-foot panels behind the actors to give a realistic effect," he said.

The stage includes a 16-by-16 block with small pillars around the area that Robbins said is a replica of Sir Thomas More's execution site and memorial.

The directors, cast and crew said they hope to see a great turnout at the performance.

Performances will run Oct. 27-30 and Nov. 3-6 in the university's Stone Theatre beginning at 7:30 p.m. each evening.

Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for children under 18 and $4 for Tech students with a valid ID. Tickets are available in the Howard Center Box Office.