“Wiley and the Hairy Man” is a play focused on bullying and standing up for oneself.

The play will be shown at 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday and there will be matinees at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

All performances will take place in the Theatre of the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

Admission to the show is $5.

“Wiley and the Hairy Man” is being put on as part of Celebration Weekend

Rocco Renda, a 2006 Eastern graduate and the director of the play, said the play is focused around Wiley, a boy with no father and a magical mother.

“It’s based on a folk lore tale based in the deep south of the US,” Renda said.

Renda said Wiley’s mother is good, while in the heart of the swamp there is the evil Hairy Man.

“Wiley has to learn to kind of stand up for himself, stand up to the Hairy Man,” Renda said.

Renda said this play focuses on the major issues of bullying.

“The Hairy Man is a big bully to Wiley,” Renda said. “And the thing is that when Wiley stands up to him, the Hairy Man doesn’t have anymore power against him.”

Renda said he wants the children in the play to learn about bullying and bullies.

“It shows in the play, that just like everyone else, the Hairy Man has a fear of dogs,” Renda said. “It constantly says in the play that the Hairy Man hates dogs, and everyone knows that.”

Renda said showing that bullies have fears can help to ease the problem of bullying.

“It’s showing even bullies are regular people with fears and that you just have to stand your ground with them,” Renda said.

Renda said he wants students to learn that they can stand up to bullies.

“A lot is that in the end, Wiley is able to stand up to the Hairy Man, not because of the things his mammy tries to teach him, but because of who he is and his own talents and special abilities,” Renda said. “Him being himself is eventually what helps him succeed.”

Renda said students that bully can also learn from the play.

“It shows that bullies have these feelings too, and also that if you are bullying someone that people will stand up to you,” Renda said.

Renda said he hopes the audience learns that there are others that can help during these situations as well.

“Wiley has all of these friends there to give him support, stand behind him and help him,” Renda said. “Even if you feel you are alone in the world, there is always going to be someone there, the mammy, his dog, or friend in the swamp.”

Renda said the audience members are similar to Wiley.

“Everybody has these people in their lives too, whether they realize it or not,” Renda said.

Samantha McDaniel can be reached at 581-2812 or slmcdaniel@eiu.edu.