ZARA SPOOK AND OTHER LURES

Dan Akre thrust his arms into the air and let his fingers flutter for no apparent reason.

He began cavorting about the stage at Southeast Missouri State's Rose Theater as if he had suddenly taken leave of his senses.

It was just 15 days until the curtain was scheduled to rise on an adult comedy titled "Zara Spook And Other Lures," but nobody was laughing.

Perhaps the pressure was finally getting to Akre and his stage cohorts. Upon further investigation, however, one learned that Akre was simply doing his best to "shake out the sillies."

Heather Lewis, Diana Mays and Kim Huff were also well into the process of "shaking out the sillies". Then, suddenly, another order was given.

"Stop," instructed Rob Dillon, who is the director of "Zara Spook And Other Lures."

"Now melt into the floor until you're just a puddle," shouted Dillon, who was standing amid the empty seats while keeping a watchful eye on this group of gifted actors. "It feels like being at the bottom of an ocean of molasses," suggested Dillon as the actors, who lay sprawled out on the stage, appeared lifeless.

To one not schooled in the art of improvisational calisthenics, the cast Dillon picked to perform the play "Zara Spook And Other Lures", seemed, well, a tad spooky. The play will take place at Rose Theater Feb. 18, 19, 23, 24, 25 and 26 at 8 p.m.

"Actually this is supposed to help clear their minds and put them in touch with their feelings," said Amy Stenson, who is an assistant director to Dillon. "It also helps them bond together as a cast and give everything to the play with no outside interference."

Said Akre, who plays Mel in the play,"It feels strange at first, because there are all these strangers looking at you, but you begin to realize if you can do this on stage, you can do anything."

And so the cast embarked on a rehearsal of the snake bite scene in act II, scene three of "Zara Spook And Other Lures."

"This is a comedy, but actually it's a pretty serious play," said Dillon, noting that the very name of the play offers a symbolic message that is anything but funny.

Zara Spook is a fishing lure Ramona favors because "it doesn't try to tempt him (fish) or nothing, act sultry; just riles him."

Of course the meaning of the lines goes beyond the mere sport of fishing, offering insight into the realm of romance.

Ramona wonders what it all means during the snake bite scene. "I'm too sorely disappointed," she says. "Fish. Bait. Fish. Bait. Who is the fish. Who is the bait. Who is at what end of the line?"

"The snake bite scene is a good example of what this play is about," said Dillon. "There are some funny lines, but the dialogue is very realistic in its portrayal of pain and serious consequences."

Zara Spook is a play written by Joan Ackerman. Evelyn, who is one of six characters in the play, is a woman of slight build chasing a big dream. She hopes to win the championship of the national women's bass fishing tournament sponsored by "Bassin' Gal Magazine".

She's up against some stiff competition, however. It seems Ramona, deemed the best at various endeavors, has also entered the tournament.

Evelyn realizes the best she can hope for is "Rookie of the Year."

Meanwhile she must contend with her relentless boyfriend Talmadge, who desperately wants to marry her.

"Evelyn knows she has to take this trip and discover something about herself," said Mays, who plays Evelyn. "Her boyfriend is just smothering her, and that makes her want to strike out on her own even more."

Mays was struggling with her role until Dillon suggested she jog around the stage as she uttered her lines. "I came to the rehearsal tired and that kept me from acting the way Evelyn is supposed to act," said Mays. "After I jogged around, I felt more energy and also realized how I could show my insecurity by fidgeting all the time."

Ramona is also pursued by a man, her macho estranged husband, Mel, who has difficulty proving he is "sensitive."

Akre indicated he draws from his own life in order to make his character appear more real. "I've had relationships where it was difficult for me to express how I felt about a certain person," said Akre. "I try to let that come out when I play this role."

Mel comes to believe that Ramona is carrying on with Talmade, and begins shooting. Finally, when Mel meets Talmage, he learns that Talmadge is not after Ramona. In fact, he is pursuing Evelyn.

The two men commiserate about the mysteriousness of women, and when Talmadge compliments Mel for being sensitive, he has a friend for life.

Meanwhile, Ramona is bitten by a rattler, and Mel arrives just in time to carry her to safety.

Evelyn catches the biggest bass of the tournament and is chosen Rookie of the Year. Perhaps now that she has achieved her dream, she'll give Talmadge a chance.

"The play is about relationships and independence," said Lewis. "Each character is attempting to gain some level of independence. "Evelyn is trying to become independent of Talmadge and her insecurity, I'm trying to become independent of Mel and Teale is trying to become independent of her psychological asthma."

After the second reading, Dillon sensed that the play was coming together. Lewis elected to use her hand to illustrate "No nicer cradle than a rocking boat."

"That's good Heather," shouted Dillon from his seat in the middle of the theater. Dillon found another spot in the scene that needed work.

"Diana, you need to find something to show your disgust for Mel when he doesn't come to Ramona's aid right away," said Dillon.

Mays elected to use both hands, sweeping them down in the direction of Mel in an obvious show of disdain.

"Great, that's just what we need at that moment," said Dillon, who moved closer to his assistant director. "This scene is really working," he said to Stenson, shaking his fist to punctuate his excitement. "There's real energy in it. They're really cooking out there!"

Indeed, the sillies were thoroughly shaken. This cast was getting down to the serious business of putting together an alluring comedy.