The Way It Has To Be

Known for its interest in producing Appalachian plays, Radford University’s Department of Theatre and Cinema is now rehearsing the world premiere of Jeremiah Munsey’s “The Way It Has To Be.”  The family drama opens Feb. 18 in the Hawes Studio Theatre.

Set in Morgantown, West Virginia, “The Way It Has To Be” centers on a family as they cope with the loss of Mike, the oldest son. Munsey, who grew up in Morgantown, traveled to Radford to work with director Wesley Young, associate professor of theatre, on the play. The script, which was a finalist for the prestigious David Mark Cohen prize, had previously been given a workshop at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and a reading at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia.

Young first encountered the play in the summer of 2013, when “The Way It Has To Be” was featured in the Barter Theatre’s Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights.

“It occurred to me that this script would be good for us to do it here,” says Young. “So, I pitched the idea to him and he was very interested. I also asked if he wanted to be a part of the process to which he enthusiastically said ‘yes!’”

Without flinching, “The Way It Has To Be” confronts some of the problems that many American families face today. Munsey seeks to expose issues faced by his own friends and neighbors that can be the hardest, and therefore most important, to talk about.

Munsey has populated “The Way It Has To Be” with strong, gritty characters who struggle with major life challenges like loss, addiction, and abandonment. Young observes, “There are times when I feel, even though the characters appear to be ordinary people, they are really singing out from the heart some of the desperation, longing and hurt we all feel at times.”

Punctuated by moments of humor, this family drama reminds us that no one is perfect.

“What really gripped me was how these characters are trapped and doing the best they can according to their individual perspectives—even though that “best” may not be good or noble by someone else’s standards,” notes Young.

The ensemble cast includes Associate Professor Jennifer Juul as Tabitha and student actors Maddie Cindrich as Siobhan, Mac McMullen as Lefty, Ricky Parks as Chin, and Lindsay Taylor as Norma.

Faculty and student designers Monica Weinzapfel, Carl Lefko, Morgan Hardy, Thomas Blankenship, and Molly Roan will join them in the play’s first fully realized production along with assistant director Stephanie Street, stage manager Kaleb Cline and assistant stage manager Chelsea Wood.

Premiere performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18-21 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22.  Tickets are free of charge and are available at the Porterfield box office or online at rutheatretickets.universitytickets.com. For more information, call (540)-831-5289.

This production contains strong language and is intended for mature audiences.