"The Twilight of the Golds," a poignant contemporary drama that raises issues about genetic research, will be staged in the Jenkins Theatre Friday through Sunday, April 12 to 14, and Thursday through Saturday, April 18 to 20, by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Department of Theatre and Dance.

The Friday, April 12, performance is at 8 p.m., the Sunday, April 14, is at 2 p.m. and all others are at 7:30 p.m. Cost of admission is $11 for adults, $10 for senior citizens and $6.50 for youth. Tickets may be purchased at the Arts and Athletics Ticket Office in Quandt Fieldhouse or by calling (715) 346-4100 or (800) 838-3378. Visa, MasterCard or Discover cards are accepted. Tickets also may be available at the door if the performances are not sold out in advance.

In "The Twilight of the Golds," David Gold, a young scenic designer played by Eli Kranski, Kaukauna, tells the story of a family caught in crisis and the events that led to his separation from them. As the play unfolds, David�s sister and brother-in-law, a genetic researcher, use a new prenatal test on their unborn child. The results indicate a potential problem that neither parent seems prepared to deal with.

Suzanne Gold-Stein, played by Susan Maris of Shorewood, and her husband, Rob Stein, played by Jeromy Spraker of Racine, are forced to decide whether or not they want to have a child who does not meet their expectations.

The entire Gold family is ultimately drawn into the debate. Suzanne is pulled in all directions by her brother, her husband and her parents, Phyllis and Walter Gold, played by Phyllis O�Hara, Pardeeville, and John Blick, Brookfield. Although the story is told from David�s point of view, each character is given the opportunity to express his or her views directly to the audience, providing a necessary balance to the debate and an opportunity for audience members to identify with at least one of the characters.

"It is a highly theatrical play," said director Ken Risch, professor and chair of theatre and dance. "It uses opera throughout as a reference for the action and plot. Ultimately, it is a play about a very real dilemma facing modern civilization: given the power of knowledge gained through advances in scientific research, what is the nature of man�s responsibility in using that knowledge? It�s about science versus emotion."

David sees danger in too much knowledge and the power to control life and death. He compares the prenatal test to the Nazi philosophy of eugenics, or improvement by genetic control. He brings out the emotional side of the issue and confronts his parents, asking them what they would have done if they had known before he was born that he would be gay.

David is also obsessed with "The Ring Cycle," a four-part opera by German composer Richard Wagner. In the opera, the gods decide the fate of the world until the last part, entitled "Twilight of the Gods," which concerns their downfall. A background set for the opera surrounds the apartment where the action takes place and the plot of the opera echoes the Gold family�s downfall.

"The Twilight of the Golds" was written by Jonathan Tolins, who is now a contributing writer on Showtime�s critically acclaimed "Queer as Folk," based on a British comedy. The play received positive reviews on the regional circuit and was on Broadway in 1993. Its premier at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, Calif., preceded news items about breakthroughs in genetic research that allowed scientists to determine a wide range of information about a fetus.

Stage manager for the production is Casey Adams, Green Bay, with Peter Blavat of DePere as assistant stage manager.

The entire production is student-designed with several faculty members as mentors. Set design is by Chris Kay, De Pere.

Lighting design is by Micah Rahn, Verona, assisted by Jason Stoll, Menasha, and Travis Gaboda, Stevens Point. Sound design is by Jason Jon Anderson, Cadott. Props designer is Margot Momoi-Piehl, La Crosse. Gary Olsen, professor of theatre and dance mentored the technical design.

Costume design is by Emmeline Hall, Janesville, mentored by Susan Sherwin, assistant professor of theatre and dance.

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