Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– “Yes, We Deliver,” a play written by Dr. Kenneth Untiedt, professor in the Department of English and Creative Writing at Stephen F. Austin State University, will open Friday, Sept. 15, at the Lamp-Lite Theatre.
The showings will take place at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays Sept 15-16 and 22-23. Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m. Sept. 17 and 24.
“Yes, We Deliver” debuted in 2018 and was the first play Untiedt ever wrote. It tells the story of protagonist Jack Stephens, who has taken a job delivering pizzas at Pizza Rena’s while he attempts to “find himself.” Stephens has no interest in going to law school and following in his father’s footsteps at the law firm his grandfather started. Voluntarily displaced from his wealthy family and privileged station in life, Stephens begins to discover what is truly important to him as he interacts with fellow employees and some of the restaurant’s most interesting customers as he visits their homes.
According to Untiedt, who gained inspiration for the play from working at a pizza delivery restaurant in his youth, some of the characters and situations are loosely based on his experiences.
“The audience can expect to laugh a lot and, hopefully, to share the lessons the main character learns about what's important in life,” Untiedt said. “The play is unique because it takes place in the restaurant and at a variety of different delivery locations, which change with each scene.”
Lamp-Lite Theatre is located at 4210 Lamp-Lite Lane, or near the intersection of U.S. Highway 59 and Old Tyler Road. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for senior citizens and $8 for students with a valid ID. An audience dress rehearsal will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, and tickets are $5.
For more information about the theatre, visit lamplitetheatre.com or email lamplitetheatre@gmail.com.
ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY
Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 36 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.