Lips Together, Teeth Apart at Clearspace Theatre in Rehoboth Beach, Del.

What: Lips Together, Teeth Apart

When: Friday, Sept. 25, 2015 to Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015

Where: Clearspace Theatre in Rehoboth Beach, Del.

A lot of tension, a lot of action and a lot of change.

Clearspace Theatre in Rehoboth Beach, Del. will be performing Lips Together, Teeth Apart on weekends beginning Friday, Sept. 25 to Sunday, Oct. 11.

Lips Together, Teeth Apart was written by Terrence McNally and set in 1991. Clearspace’s rendition is directed by David Button.

The setting is the Fourth of July on Fire Island, N.Y., where a brother and sister and their respective spouses are striving to have a comfortable summer getaway in an uncomfortable setting – their dead gay brother’s beach house. As their weekend in the sun unfolds, the two couples do their best to enjoy themselves despite their prejudices and insecurities.

According to Wesley Paulson, executive director of Clearspace Theatre, this performance is a lot different than what Clearspace Theatre usually puts on.

“We do a lot of comedies and musicals,” Paulson said. “This is our first time performing it and it’s going really well, it’s different for us, much more serious, it has a little bit of edge to it.”

At the beach house there is a swimming pool. The brother who owned the home died of aids which makes the guests wonder if the pool is safe. Since the swimming pool ends up becoming the center of the performance, Clearspace Theatre has built a pool on the set. Paulson remarks the set for this particular performance is quite interesting.

“The set is very specific,” Paulson said. “All of the actors get in the pool at some point.”

Although the subject matter of this performance isn’t the norm for this theatre, Paulson says it’s good to give the audience exposure to something different, something that will challenge them.

“The community is accepting, it took very well,” Paulson said. “The ticket response has been really well and we are pleased.”

This performance includes a combination of local people who have performed with the theatre before and others who have not. Some of the performers are from the community while one performer is from Washington, DC.

Photo: Clearspace Theatre

The Cast

Rich Bockelkamp (Sam Truman) is in his first appearance at Clear Space Theatre. This performance marks the end of a 5+ year hiatus from acting. Previously, Rich studied acting and performed in the Boston area. Favorite roles include George Deever in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, and Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His all-time favorite ‘part’ is his partner, husband, soul mate, Bill.

Richard Bockelkamp (Photo: Clear Space)

Andrew Criss (John Haddock) is delighted to be making his first appearance with Clear Space Theatre. His stage credits include The Shakespeare Theatre Company, The Folger Theatre, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Media Theatre, and Quintessence Theatre Group. Andrew recently appeared on the CBS drama Person of Interest, and he is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional stage actors.

Andrew Criss (Photo: Clear Space)

Anna Jackson (Sally Truman) is a DC based actor, thrilled to be making her Clear Space debut! DC area credits include: The BFG (Imagination Stage); The Secret Garden (Nextstop Theatre); Other Desert Cities (Highwood Theatre); The Hero of Everything, Not My Monkey (InterAct Story Theatre); Dr. Horrible’s…Blog (Landless Theatre Company); 25th Annual…Spelling Bee (Workhouse Arts Theatre); Schoolhouse Rock, Miss Electricity (Studio 3 Children’s Theatre); The Gondoliers, Treemonisha (Washington Savoyards). She has also performed in the Capital Fringe Festival, Source Festival, and Kennedy Center’s Page-to-Stage. Anna will appear next in Wake Up, Brother Bear (Imagination Stage) and received her education at UNC School of the Arts.

Anna Jackson (Photo: Clear Space)

Valorie Jarrell (Chloe Haddock) caught the acting bug in college in a production of The Dutchman before a truly captive audience at the Muncie State Correctional Facility. Since moving to Lewes in 2002, she has become a founding member of the improvisational troupe Delaware Comedy Theatre, and served as a board member for Clear Space. She has performed in The Mousetrap, The Odd Couple, Sordid Lives, Steel Magnolias and Company among others for Clear Space, as well as roles in local community productions of Dinner With Friends and Funny Money.

Valorie Jarrell (Photo: Clear Space)