It is often said there are no more than six degrees of separation between any two people on Earth. This theory was proposed nearly 100 years ago by Hungarian writer Frigyes Karinthy.

The theory has since been researched by scientists at MIT, Columbia University, and Microsoft, and most people have heard there is a Hollywood version that links celebrities back to actor Kevin Bacon. 

The Pulitzer-winning play Six Degrees of Separation, written by John Guare, seeks to explore those connections and how they can sometimes be exploited. Fort Wayne Civic Theatre will present the show at the Parkview Physicians Group ArtsLab at the Auer Center for Arts and Culture, March 15-24.

Doing the hustle

Six Degrees of Separation, which was also made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Stockard Channing and Will Smith in 1993, deals with some heavy topics and is rated R for language and content, including mentions of suicide. 

“We have told this story as honestly as possible to address all of the trauma in the story,” director Ranae Butler said when discussing the somewhat triggering nature of the material in the script.

The plot revolves around a hustler named Paul (played by Ennis L. Brown II) as he works his hustle on two couples, the older Ouisa (Julie Donnell) and Flan (Bob Ahlersmeyer) and the younger Rick (Kevin Torwelle) and Elizabeth (Allison Arnos). 

“First of all, I want to invite the audience to consider who the con men and the hustlers are in this play,” Butler said. “The hustle is a major theme. Many characters are hustling.” 

While Butler admits everyone has their own agenda, Paul is the play’s true antagonist and has traits not far from those of a certain Shakespearian schemer. 

“Paul is very much like Iago (from Othello) in my mind in the way that he adapts on the spot to fill the specific need of the person in front of him,” she said. “He is a chameleon with a brilliant mind who is adept at the improvisation necessary to be all things to all people. Unlike Iago, he is not driven by an innate desire to destroy. There are, unfortunately, destructive consequences of his actions.”

Stages of the show

The story unfolds over 90 minutes with no intermission, which many would see as a one-act play. 

“I really see this as a three-act play,” she said. 

“(In) Act One, the playwright, John Guare, is having fun with the white, liberal elite in New York’s Upper East Side. These folks have an emptiness inside them, a disconnectedness with themselves and each other that leads them to seek out things that will fill the emptiness inside: experiences, possessions, causes, etc. When a bleeding friend of their children arrives at the door, they open the literal and figurative door to their very existence. 

“Act Two is a mystery/thriller that develops from the events in Act One. 

“Finally, Act Three can be described as a spiritual or dramatic awakening. The question is, which of these characters will experience that awakening?”

These experiences the characters on stage portray are what Butler believes make Six Degrees of Separation so relatable. 

“It’s for anybody who is a parent or who was ever a young adult,” she said. “It’s for anybody who ever felt their life might be passing in a blur without real meaning. It’s for anybody who is trying to find authentic connection with another human being.”

Helping tell the story

On the subject of human beings, Butler is quick to praise her fantastic cast and celebrate the journey they have been on together. 

“Well, the cast is extraordinary,” she said. “We had 36 people audition, which speaks to the appetite local actors have to work on straight plays of substance.

“I’ve got some of the best actors in town and people I admire so much. No exaggeration. 

“I’m trying to provide enough direction to get us on the same page stylistically and keep us all living in the moment. Then I get out of the way.”

Butler elaborated that she and Brown have a longstanding professional relationship that was helpful in tackling this material. 

“I have worked with Ennis many times over the past 15 years, so we have an actor/director shorthand that makes the work very efficient and rewarding,” she said.

Those on stage are not the only people who Butler believes need to be praised. 

“My stage manager (Brittney Lynne Koza), I’m very fussy about blocking, and she is juggling all the balls to keep us on track,” Butler said. “She has provided terrific dramaturgical support, too. I am in her debt.” 

Butler also looks forward to showing off the hard work of her design team who have embraced her three-act approach. 

“The designers and I addressed these acts at our first meeting, and we have all been working to bring this concept to life through the design elements,” she said.

Finally, Butler shares what she thinks should draw the audiences to see this performance. 

“This show is special because the story is timeless and relevant,” she said. “It’s compact. It’s an actor’s script. It’s thought-provoking and intelligent. We hope it provokes you to look inward.”