Professor FJ Hartland was sitting in a dim theater conversing with a couple of his students regarding the upcoming play, “Wait 10 Minutes.” “Wait 10 Minutes,” an original play by FJ Hartland, comprises eleven plays that focus on the “connection and relationships between people (FJ).” The production opens November 14th and will feature UPJ students, alumni, and members of the Stonebridge Players, a local theater group.
The play showcases already published pieces from FJ and has premiered in Ireland, England, Australia, and Canada. Tickets are free for students and will be accessible on Eventbrite through a public link.
“I always say that I don’t write about action or thrillers or bombs going off,” said FJ regarding his writing approach. “The connection itself is like an explosion.” The same dynamic described was shown while sitting with his students discussing day one rehearsals.
Natalie Kopera and Dominik Barnyak, prominent features in the upcoming play, commented on Professor FJ’s impact on their life.
“You get a profound experience from working with him,” said Barnyak. “He makes you feel ready for acting on the big stage.” FJ has worked at UPJ for eight years now and has made a lasting impression on each one of his students.
He gives his students freedom with their roles. FJ suggests that he and his cast share a symbiotic relationship; they bounce off each other’s creativity to bring the show to life.
“There’s just something about sitting with strangers in the dark, seeing and hearing their reaction to what [I] have written,” commented FJ regarding his chemistry with the cast.
“Wait 10 Minutes” captures this connection beautifully. The two-hour play captures the multitude of dynamics between people, and how relationships are fostered in the most unexpected of ways.