ALAMOSA — For his 25th Main Stage theatrical production at Adams State University (ASU), John Taylor, Chair of ASU’s Theatre Department, chose the award-winning “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”. 

From the time the story was first conceived, it spoke to audiences, first as a bestselling novel by Mark Haddon and then, adapted for the stage by Simon Stephens, as a play that went on to win multiple awards, including a Tony for Best Play in 2015. Under Taylor’s direction, the ASU production of the play held that same appeal to the audience who attended opening night.   

At the center of the play is Christopher Boone, described by Taylor as “a 15-year-old boy with neurodiversity challenges who discovers his neighbor’s dog has been mysteriously killed with a garden fork. Determined to solve the mystery, his investigation leads him to much deeper revelations about his family and his own capabilities.” 

The story is told through Christopher’s eyes, an unusually brilliant boy who loves “maths” and finds people “confusing” but also sees details others miss. He is, at times, overwhelmed by his surroundings and, with nothing but an empty stage and cubes as props, Taylor masterfully uses light, color, sound and images projected on a large screen at the back of the stage to give us a multi-sensory glimpse into Christopher’s world, whether it’s a warm and inviting living room in Swindon, England, a loud and bustling train station or the interior of a car in the Tube, London’s underground rapid transit system. In one of the more beautiful moments in the play, even the actors portray stars in the night sky.  

But it’s the performance of the cast, all of whom are on-stage for much of the play, that draws the audience into the story and makes us care how the story ends.  

The role of Christopher requires both physical and emotional energy and unwavering attention to his fellow actors on stage as his reactions to what they do have to be immediate to be believed. Javier Rodriguez, as Christopher, is clearly up to the task.  

While the tendency in a lesser actor might be to play Christopher as a one-dimensional character, the way Rodriguez moves, the way he speaks directly to other actors without ever making eye contact and his blunt responses that are sometimes funny and other times heartbreaking make him someone we want to learn more about. Although his unique behaviors are a constant throughout the play, at some point, we stop thinking about his neurodiversity challenges and start seeing him as a determined teenager who ultimately transforms into someone no one – including himself – ever thought he could be.  

Jay Lobeck as Siobahn, Christopher’s teacher, is a breath of fresh air, projecting understanding and acceptance while bringing an optimistic normalcy to the story. Lobeck and Rodriguez have a nice teacher-student chemistry on stage and her occasional narration in the play accelerates our understanding of Christopher’s inner world, especially at the beginning.  

Chaz Childress as Ed, Christopher’s father, is excellent at depicting the complexities of a weary and likely overworked father who, as a single parent, has deep love for his son coupled with fatigued frustration and, sometimes, anger with some of the things Christopher does. That anger is often followed by regret and Childress portrays that conflict with depth and understanding. The moment when Ed asks Christopher to touch hands in a brief but powerful display of affection is one of the more moving moments in the play. When Ed is revealed to have his own flaws and an act of betrayal causes Christopher to run away from home, Childress makes us feel Ed’s anguish at what his actions may have cost him.  

Kris Fleecs as Judy, Christopher’s mother, does a beautiful job of portraying a woman full of life who loves her son deeply and longs to connect with him yet is at a loss when dealing with or even understanding some of his behaviors. Fleecs brings a maturity to the role that shows the intricacies of Judy’s personality, making her a more sympathetic character. We feel her desperation in some of the more intense scenes, especially when she recounts a difficult moment with Christopher in public.  

The remaining four actors in the cast – Awnee Montaño, Joey McMullen, Alex Howard and Bella Devoto – each do an exemplary job of changing characters and costumes, sometimes on stage, while never failing to make each character they’re playing interesting and memorable. 

“I chose this play because it is about transformation,” Taylor writes in the director’s notes. “For good, bad or otherwise, the characters are forever changed. We get to witness the characters’ journey and maybe, just maybe, we are also changed because we went on the trip with them.” 

Only three public performances remain. “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” begins at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 2 and Saturday, May 3. The third performance, a matinee, begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 4.  

The production is rated PG-13 for language. Tickets are $13 for general public and free to Associated Students and Faculty with current Adams State identification. Tickets may be purchased at theatre.adams.edu or may be reserved by calling 719-587-8499.