Catch a glimpse into the lives of a group of malcontent twenty-somethings in this week's No Refund Theater production of subUrbia, a play by Eric Bogosian.

Performances will take place at 8 p.m. tonight and tomorrow in 111 Forum.

The play begins at the group's local hangout, a mini-mall convenience store in Burnfield, a typical middle class suburban town anywhere in the U.S.

This group of high school friends finds themselves questioning their lives, what they want to make of themselves and the town they live in.

"So many aspects of this play really relate to people our age," said the play's director, Ashley Dvorkin (senior-telecommunications).

"There's some dark comedy and moments of tragedy that lead to sudden realization for many of the characters," she said.

Jeff, played by Sean Kelly (senior-film and video), is a part-time community college student who finds himself confused about whether or not he is truly content with his life in the suburbs.

"Each of these characters is going through the phase of not knowing what he or she wants and trying to figure out where to go in the future," Kelly said.

His girlfriend, Sooze, played by Kimberly Klinger (senior-letters, arts and sciences) is ready to leave Burnfield to pursue art in New York.

"Sooze not only finds herself frustrated with her life in Burnfield, but also with her relationship with Jeff," Klinger said. "She's strong and ready to move on, but he isn't."

Their friend Tim, played by Joshua Cole (theatre-sophomore) is a macho, former football player turned alcoholic Air Force Vet.

His bigoted remarks and violent tendencies shed light on several of his hang-ups and the chip on his shoulder.

Then there's Buff, a carefree party animal played by Devin Lausch (freshman-chemical engineering) who, unlike the other characters, seems to enjoy life in Burnfield, or at least pretends to.

It is Pony, played by James Brunner, a recent PSU graduate, who acts as the driving force behind the characters' realizations and communication.

Pony was that geeky kid in high school who somehow became a success.

Moving on from folk songs at the prom to success on MTV and a life in Los Angeles, Pony represents those who made it out of Burnfield.

His return to town is filled with half-hearted nostalgia that triggers feelings of jealousy and anger among the other characters.

"Pony really acts as the catalyst and change within each of the character's lives," Brunner said.

SubUrbia opened at the Lincoln Center Theatre in 1994. Three years later Bogosian wrote the screenplay for the 1997 film which starred Giovanni Ribisi and Parker Posey.

Several of his works including monologues and solo Off-Broadway shows have earned him critical acclaim, Obie awards and a Drama Desk Award.