How long is your attention span when it comes to theater performances? Could you sit through a two-minute play? Or how about thirty two-minute plays, performed one after another, for an hour?
Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind is just such a show, and over the years, it has basically become an institution in Chicago. It’s a theatrical event unlike any other—part improv, part audience participation—and has been on stage since 1988, making it the longest running show in Chicago’s history.
It was originally performed by an experimental theater troupe called the Neo-Futurists, and its intent was to address the issues of our time, with honesty and, well, speed.
This spring, the Texas Lutheran University Dramatic Media Department is teaming up with the Texas Theatre to take on the show, bringing bite-sized performances to the stage which, in only an hour’s time, will encompass the full dramatic spectrum—comedy to tragedy and everything in between.
“The production is co-presented by TLU Dramatic Media and the Stephen and Mary Birch Texas Theatre in Seguin,” says Professor David Legore, chair of TLU’s department of Dramatic Media. “This is the second year in a row that a student production has been blended with community members, while using the Texas Theatre as a venue. Our department is thrilled to partner with the good people at the Texas and we’re excited for our students to experience a collaboration with an external organization and audience.”
Legore says student director Hallie Strange, a junior Dramatic Media major, chose the piece and pitched the idea to him last summer.
“I pitched 30 Neo-Futurist Plays from Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (30 Plays in 60 Minutes) because it’s an absolute blast—a high-energy, fast-paced rollercoaster that makes people excited about theatre,” says Strange. “Let’s be real: theatre attendance has taken a hit thanks to film and social media, so I wanted to choose a show that gets everyone in the seats, even those who don’t usually go. With its heavy audience interaction, this play keeps people so engaged that the sixty minutes will fly by in what feels like an instant!”
“The format is clearly unique and caters well towards the modern attention span,” adds Legore.
The show runs March 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m., and March 30 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Texas Theatre. No two performances will be alike, since each reflects the lives and experiences of the audience. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at Ludus - The Texas Theatre (Seguin). Viewer discretion is advised, as the show contains mature subject matter.