The play was directed by Ann Folino White, assistant professor of theatre studies and directing, and written by Ariel Dorfman, who was exiled from Chile because of his support for former President Salvador Allende.

“The show is definitely on the heavier, more serious side,” said Dave Wendelberger, the show’s spokesman. “The entire cast of students does a great job with the production.”

The Department of Theatre is looking to expose the public to a different genre of theater through “Widows,” said Rob Roznowski, associate professor and head of acting and directing in the Department of Theatre.

“We chose this show because it offers so many great women’s roles, which is often hard to find,” Roznowski said. “Every production we do is angled toward sparking discussion and debate.”

Folino White said she enjoys working with the students, and the best part is that there is the opportunity to bounce ideas off each other and create a different experience for the audience.

“Working with designers and actors in that creative environment can invent incredible things and bring even more ideas to the table,” Folino White said.

Performances will be run through Sept. 22 at MSU’s Auditorium Arena Theatre. Senior (60 ) tickets are $11, adult tickets are $13 and student tickets are $10.

There will be a post-show discussion Sept. 19, which will feature a discussion of the parallels between the One Book, One Community’s feature novel “The Yellow Birds” and the production “Widows.” There also will be a pre-show talk with the director Sept. 22.