Jenna Bacon, Campus Carrier arts and living editor

Ali Luciani, Campus Carrier asst. arts and living editor

Rome Little Theatre’s (RLT) production of “Now and Then” opens Friday at the DeSoto Theatre. Performances will run for the next two weekends, with showtimes at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays.

When preparing for RLT’s upcoming 2025-2026 season, Executive Director Jessica Stewart knew that “Now and Then” was one of the plays she wanted to see performed.

“Now and Then” is a story set in 1981, featuring a young bartender, a loving young woman, a mysterious older man and a perturbed older woman. These characters all come together to confront the choices that shaped their lives, explore the paths not taken and discover unexpected connections that blur the lines between past and present.

Stewart first fell in love with the script for “Now and Then” in January 2020 and pitched it to several former executive directors, but the timing was never right. As she prepared for this season, Stewart knew not only that she wanted “Now and Then” performed, but also exactly who she wanted to direct it.

“Even though it’s probably my favorite script that I’ve ever read — not that I consider myself a script connoisseur — but it is my favorite one,” Stewart said. “There was no question in my mind, with the talent that I knew I had for director, that James Swendeson was a perfect one.”

Director James Swendeson began acting with the RLT when he and his wife first moved to Rome in 2012. Swendeson’s past directing experience includes directing RLT’s 2023 production of “The Sister Act.” Swendeson also expressed interest in “Now and Then” after reading the script for the first time.

“I had shown interest about directing another show at RLT,” Swendeson said. “Jessica had showed me the script and I read through it, and I instantly fell in love with it. When I applied to direct again this year, I made a point to say I wanted to direct that show.”

Stewart’s goal is to offer theatre participants opportunities to learn, deepen their appreciation for the art form and broaden their horizons through thoughtful show selection, and “Now and Then” seems to be able to do that.

“It has some very comedic moments, but then there’s also some drama there, some life choices,” Stewart said. “I mean, you’re dealing with questions like, ‘Did I make the right decision? Did I marry the right person?’ And you kind of get a snapshot of that with these four actors. And throughout the story and how it’s woven, you eventually find out that they’re more alike than they are different.”

Directing a play with such emotional depth can be seen as a demanding task, but Swendeson sees his role differently. Instead of controlling every moment, he lets his cast express themselves and bring their own ideas forward.

“Your job as the director is to be the guide for your actors,” Swendeson said. “Your actors are who truly create what you see on stage.”

Actress and Berry Alumna, Abbie Yerbey (17C), who plays the character “Woman,” has felt that ripple effect during rehearsals. Yerbey and a fellow castmate at one time questioned why they were feeling such intense emotions when rehearsing lines.

“It’s because our characters go through a literal emotional roller coaster,” Yerbey said. “And it’s just kind of going along with it, letting it happen, feeling those feelings. I mean just like any real-life emotional moment, you have to sit in those feelings so you can process. It’s the same thing in a play.”

Yerbey has worked with Swendeson on stage a few imes previously, but this is her first time participating in a show directed by him. Yerbey talks about how it is interesting to see how Swendeson approaches directing as someone with a professional acting background.

“As an actor, he’s kind of known for taking the biggest possible swings on stage,” Yerbey said. “And as a director, he’s fully taken a step back, but really pushing us to take those big swings for ourselves. He’s not sitting there telling us what to do. He’s asking questions and putting thoughts in our head to be like, ‘Here’s something else you could try —see how that works.’ And it’s really collaborative.”

Stewart shares her opinion on why this story is so impactful with audiences.

“When you walk into the theater and you see a show, you either want to escape from your reality or you want to be reminded that somebody else feels exactly the way you do,” Stewart said. “And this is kind of one of those shows that does that. It asks some tough questions, but not in an abrasive way, in a very gentle way.”

RLT has four more shows in store for the rest of the 2025-2026 season. On Saturday, Berry students can bring their student ID for $5 tickets that are usually $20 for non-students. Visit their website at http://www.romelittletheatre.com to view show descriptions and purchase tickets.