Shrink Satire Takes The Stage

The dinner theatre production of ‘Beyond Therapy’ opens at Hukilau Lanai Friday, with plenty of laughs in store, says director Nadya Wynd

Women in Theatre (WIT) combines food and fun this weekend and next at Hukilau Lanai restaurant, where the group presents the comedy Beyond Therapy.

The setting is intimate and allows 50-60 people to be seated at tables of eight.

“There will be a nice, relaxed flow to the evening,” says Nadya

Wynd, director of Beyond Therapy. “People can really focus on the show; they can focus on their food; they can meet new people.”

Making new friends is just one of the many perks of attending the performance, as Wynd is sure the audience also will delight in watching the absurdist satire about relationships between therapists and their patients. Set in the early 1980s, two therapists try to help their patients in their quest for soul mates through the use of personal ads.

“It’s off-the-charts funny,” says Melissa Mojo, WIT board president.

“It’s outrageously funny,” agrees Wynd. “To me, it’s also very realistic, especially at a time period when people were just really starting to get into therapy.”

Wynd was asked to direct the play because of her previous theatrical experience with WIT. She started performing with the group about two years ago and directed the best comedy and audience favorite at WIT’s Kauai Shorts (a 10-minute play festival) last year.

Wynd immediately fell in love with Beyond Therapy when it was given to her to read.

“I was laughing out loud all the way through it,” she says. “I already could envision it and already was casting it in my head.”

“We’re very fortunate she said yes,” says Mojo.

Prior to her involvement in theatre, Wynd worked as a counselor, social worker and teacher.

“I always felt like I had a mission to help people and help improve the world in some way,” she explains.

But she eventually tired of her profession and wanted to make a more creative difference in the world.

“Next to family and friends, the most influential factor in our civilization is the media,” she says, in explanation of her process of becoming an actress. “Acting is our modern way of telling a story that people learn from. By watching, people can get in touch with their own story, their own emotions and issues. They think about things they wouldn’t have thought about without seeing the story on stage.”

So it became her new way of helping people and effecting change in a positive way.

“For me, it’s a creative way to use my imagination to do it,” she says.

And since laughter is healing, Wynd predicts audiences will have a great time and feel good after they see Beyond Therapy.

“People will be joyful watching this and laughing at our human nature, which can be so silly and crazy and ridiculous sometimes. It helps you to lighten up and see things about life that, if you’re just in the negative, heavy, problem-focused life, then you get stuck,” she says. “When you can laugh and look at how much life can be like a movie or a play, then it helps you to see things in a different way.”

Wynd adds that she has cast some of the best actors on Kauai, who all are having a good time with their characters and love working together. “So they’re having a blast, I’m having a blast and I’m really sure the audience is going to have one too.”

Tickets cost $60 and reservations are required at least 48 hours in advance.

Call 635-3727 or visit womenintheatre.org to order tickets.

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