The Algebra of Love and Loss

First, the bad news: Cottage Theatre’s excellent production of David Auburn’s Pulitzer-winning drama Proof ends its run this weekend, so you’ll have to scramble to get tickets.

The good news, then, is that, should you land seats, you will be treated to one of the finest local productions of the year. Directed with a sure hand by Alan Beck and featuring a small cast of talented local actors, this production achieves an almost perfect balance of emotional resonance and technical finesse. The play is so engaging and moving, so rich and dynamic, it feels like a dream.

Proof tells the story of Catherine (Nicole Trobaugh), the 25-year-old daughter of Robert (Patrick Torelle), a mathematical genius, recently deceased, whose early promise was scuttled by serious mental illness. Having cared for her father at the expense of her own promising career in math, Catherine now wallows in depression and isolation.

Catherine’s solitude is broken by the arrival of her father’s former grad students, Hal (Kory Weimer), who scour the notes Robert left behind, in search of nuggets of genius. Further complicating matters is the arrival of her sister, Claire (Janet Whitlow), a high achiever who wants to haul her moping sister back to New York, where she can start a new life.

Set solely in the backyard of the family’s Chicago home, the play jumps back and forth in time, establishing at once the ravages of Robert’s insanity as well as the legacy of his tragic career on the surviving characters. Issues of genius and insanity, trust and love, self and world — the stuff of life — are complexly dealt with, though never at the expense of authentic human drama. Proof is a gritty, flesh-and-blood story that grapples big themes — it is at once ethereal and hyper-real.

What really makes this particular production great, however, are the performances, which are pitched one to the other like tuning forks, so expertly do they reveal the messy tangles of fate and human connection. Every actor here shines, but the star belongs to Trobaugh, whose portrayal of Catherine captures the heartbreak of a brilliant woman struggling — desperately, hopefully — to break free of her own demons.

Proof plays through June 28 at Cottage Theatre in Cottage Grove; tickets at cottagetheatre.org or 942-8001.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!