ECU playwright premiers psychological thriller
Enemies envelops social themes
Elise Phillips, Assistant Pulse Editor

“Only cops understand cops.”

“Sometimes you gotta do things that aren’t right to make things right.”

Luke Bombay, one of the grizzly characters in Joseph Horst’s thrilling play Enemies, reminds the audience that a police officer’s job is never done with these words.

Horst, a former ECU student, started working on Enemies in 2003 and turned in the play as his master’s thesis in a creative writing class.

Horst drew his inspiration for the play from a story by Jorge Luis Borges called “The Secret Garden.”

“In that story, the main character crafts a play in his mind dealing with time and identity. That struck a chord with me and I ended up working in police officers and their lives as the main characters in my play,” said Horst.

With the premiere of Enemies on Feb. 16 in Mendenhall, Horst’s masterpiece comes to life with the present day police (almost Law and Order-like) drama that depicts the day-to-day interactions of characters like police officer Luke Bombay and his partner Charles “Chuck” Maddox.

Horst went about picking actors for his masterpiece by holding auditions for interested actors.

“We have a very professional blend of ECU students, ECU professors and local actors in the Greenville community who have come together tremendously to bring this play to life,” he said.

Daniela Hart, freshman musical theatre major, played Luke Bombay’s lover in Enemies. She impressed by the play when auditions began.

“My decision to act in this play wasn’t my own. During the audition process, I was impressed with the director’s direction and the producer’s enthusiasm so I could only hope that they’d decide on me,” she said.

The actors spent every weeknight in makeshift practice areas to prepare for the production.

“This was doable thanks to the small and intimate cast except when people walked by and were shocked by what they saw through the windows,” Hart said.

Enemies was sold out on its opening night.

“The play is a gritty psychological thriller that incorporates both the realism of police work and surrealism in theater to provide an evening of entertainment that will leave the audience wanting to come back another night to catch all of the play’s twists and turns,” Horst said.

The play’s use of the social themes drugs, murder, abuse, sex and alcohol make Enemies a far cry from your average mild-mannered stage act.

The play’s final night will take place in Mendenhall 244 tonight at 8 p.m. Cost for the show is $8 in advance and $10 at the door.

“I would encourage everyone to come support the arts in Greenville and enjoy a night of adult theater that will leave them breathless and excited. Hopefully, they will tell their friends that Enemies cannot be missed and they should rush to get tickets before it closes,” Horst said.

Tickets can be purchased at the Central Ticket Office in Mendenhall.

This writer can be contacted at features@theeastcarolinian.com.

ECU Police Officer Turned Playwright
‘Enemies’ The Play

By Arthur Mondale
Eyewitness News 9

A police officer is trained to fight crime, to get criminals off the streets, but how about adding performer in the mix.

ECU police officer, and English professor, Joseph Horst performed his play, ‘Enemies’.

It’s a psychological thriller about police officers and their struggles —both in and out of uniform.

Horst got the idea, a few years ago when writing his thesis as a student at ECU. Years later, the school gave him the go ahead.

This is the first performance. People packed Mendenhall, at East Carolina University, to watch the R rated play.

The play addresses issues of violence and drug abuse.

“There are some personal experiences in it. I think a lot of the dialogue in the play comes from the fact that police officers are held to a higher standard and a lot of times the general public doesn’t see the person behind the badge,” said Horst.

Half of all proceeds will benefit a local charity for fallen police officers.

Sworn Enemies
Cast required to keep play’s twists, turns under wraps

By Kristin Day
The Daily Reflector

Friday, February 15, 2008

It’s described as a work in theater noir — a gritty story not intended for the eyes and ears of children.

But to find out anything else, you’ll have to see the play.

“Enemies,” written by East Carolina University professor Joseph Horst, debuts at 8 p.m. Saturday in Room 244 of Mendenhall Student Center. The show runs at 8 p.m. every night through Tuesday, in addition to a 3 p.m. matinee Sunday, and is sponsored by the Magnolia Arts Center and ECU’s Phi Sigma Pi honor fraternity.

Only those who see the show will know anything about the storyline — for now at least. Horst and everyone else involved in the production have kept mum due to several plot twists. The cast and crew signed nondisclosure agreements to keep any vital information under wraps.

“They understand the suspense is built by not giving it (the plot) away, so the audience is along for the ride,” said producer Jane Sharp.

Horst, who compares his ending with that of “The Sixth Sense,” was an officer with the ECU Police Department for eight years and has been a reserve officer for five years. He wrote the play for his thesis while getting a master’s degree in English at the university in 2005.

A story he read around that time — one that dealt with identity — helped influence his own writings, as did his police work.

In September 2005, some people with the theater and art departments at ECU held a table-reading of the play at Emerge Gallery. Soon after, Horst began sending the script to numerous theater companies throughout the U.S. and England. But the play will have its world premiere on the small ECU stage.

The Web site, wwww.enemiestheplay.com, has been updated regularly to give potential fans clues to what the play might involve. Sharp said the site started as a teaser, but then they added biographies of the characters and pictures. Most recently, they posted excerpts from one of the main characters’ diary, written by the actress who plays her and approved by Horst and the director, Jerad W. Alexander.

Though they can’t divulge too much about the story, Horst and Sharp do stress that this is a gritty story not meant for children or audiences sensitive to foul language. They even rated the play R for language, some violence and adult situations.

“Even young teens should have someone with them,” Sharp said.

It is also partly intended to bring college-aged people to the theater, and unlike some other shows, this is a play for the guys.

Sharp stressed the importance of paying attention to the cast’s actions as you watch. Sharp said there’s a lot of symbolism behind the actors’ movements on stage, and the story may seem a bit confusing until the end of the second act.

“Everything is explained in the very last scene of the play,” Sharp said.

This, she and Horst said, is why they opted for a room that can only fit 120 people in Mendenhall instead of a bigger stage — to keep the setting more intimate.

“It gets the audience close enough to see the reactions and turns in the characters,” Sharp said.

“Issues (of identification) will really connect more with an intimate audience,” Horst added.

Horst gave another little clue into the play, saying the situations involve the lives of police officers; problems he said are universal.

“A lot of times, the badge dehumanizes officers to the general public,” Horst said.

“I wanted to show the person behind the badge.”

Contact Kristin Day at 329-9579 or kday@coxnc.com.

“ENEMIES” WORLD PREMIERE INTRODUCES THEATER NOIR TO EASTERN CAROLINA

GREENVILLE, N.C. — Magnolia Arts Center and the East Carolina University chapter of Phi Sigma Pi, national honor fraternity, will present the world premiere production of ECU professor and playwright Joseph Horst’s play “Enemies” on February 16, 2008 in 244 Mendenhall Student Center.

Horst has been a police officer with the ECU Police Department for 13 years, eight of those as a full-time officer. After receiving his Masters in English from ECU in 2005 where he completed “Enemies” as his thesis, he currently teaches English and Technical Writing at ECU.

The story plot, said by production staff to be gritty in nature, is being kept under wraps by all involved, even taking the unusual step of having cast and crew sign non-disclosure agreements agreeing not to reveal the plot, story line and ending.

“There are some twists to this play that really warrant keeping this script under wraps,” said Jane Sharp, producer.

Director Jerad W. Alexander went on to say, “All I can really say about the story at this point is that this is theater’s equivalent of Film Noir. Just watch [www.enemiestheplay.com] for information as it’s available.”

The website contains information on the cast, crew, sponsors and history of the play.

“Enemies” opens on February 16, 2008 and performances will run from February 16 to February 19 at 8 p.m. each evening. A 3 p.m. matinee will also be held on February 17.

Tickets are currently on sale and are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Tickets will be sold through ECU’s Central Ticket Office, which can be reached at 1-800-ECU-ARTS or 252-328-4788. Tickets may also be purchased online at [www.ecuarts.com].

Parking is free and open to the public around Mendenhall, with overflow parking located at the intersections of Ninth and Cotanche Streets and Ninth and Evans Streets.

# # #

If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Jane Sharp or Joseph Horst, please call 252/347-9017 or 252/258-4153. Contact can also be made via email at grtamcnnvl@gmail.com or zeseinaj@gmail.com.

“ENEMIES” WORLD PREMIERE INTRODUCES
THEATER NOIR TO EASTERN CAROLINA

GREENVILLE, N.C. — Magnolia Arts Center teamed up December 12, 2007 with East Carolina University professor and playwright Joseph Horst to begin production of the world premiere of his play “Enemies.”

Horst has been a police officer with the ECU Police Department for 13 years, eight of those as a full-time officer, and currently holding reserve officer status with the department. After receiving his Masters in English from ECU in 2005 where he completed “Enemies” as his thesis, he currently teaches English and Technical Writing at ECU.

The story plot, said by production staff to be gritty in nature, is being kept under wraps by all involved, even taking the unusual step of having cast and crew sign non-disclosure agreements agreeing not to reveal the plot, story line and ending.

“There are some twists to this play that really warrant keeping this script under wraps,” said Jane Sharp, producer.

Director Jerad W. Alexander went on to say, “All I can really say about the story at this point is that this is theater’s equivalent of Film Noir. Just watch [www.enemiestheplay.com] for information as it’s available.”

A portion of the production’s proceeds will benefit a local charitable foundation.

“Enemies” is scheduled on February 16, 2008 and be performed in Room 244 of ECU’s Mendenhall Student Center. Performances will run from February 16 to February 19 at 8 p.m. each evening. A 3 p.m. matinee will also be held on February 17.

Tickets will go on sale on January 22, 2008 and are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Tickets will be sold through ECU’s Central Ticket Office, which can be reached at 1-800-ECU-ARTS or (252) 328-4788.

# # #

If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Jane Sharp or Joseph Horst, please call 252/347-9017 or 252/258-4153. Contact can also be made via email at grtamcnnvl@gmail.com or zeseinaj@gmail.com.

“ENEMIES” WORLD PREMIERE INTRODUCES
THEATER NOIR TO EASTERN CAROLINA

GREENVILLE, N.C. — Magnolia Arts Center teamed up December 12, 2007 with East Carolina University professor and playwright Joseph Horst to begin production of the world premiere of his play “Enemies.”

The story plot, said by production staff to be gritty in nature, is being kept under wraps by all involved, even taking the unusual step of having cast and crew sign non-disclosure agreements agreeing not to reveal the plot, story line and ending.

“There are some twists to this play that really warrant keeping this script under wraps,” said Jane Sharp, producer.

Director Jerad W. Alexander went on to say, “All I can really say about the story at this point is that this is theater’s equivalent of Film Noir. Just watch [www.enemiestheplay.com] for information as it’s available.”

A portion of the production’s proceeds will benefit a local charitable foundation.

“Enemies” is scheduled to open mid-February next year and be performed in Room 244 of ECU’s Mendenhall Student Center. Tickets will be sold through ECU’s Central Ticket Office.

# # #

If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Jane Sharp or Joseph Horst, please call 252/347-9017 or 252/258-4153. Contact can also be made via email at grtamcnnvl@gmail.com or zeseinaj@gmail.com.