Stageworks Theatre actors tell grand story in small, intimate space in 'Touching the Void'

Behind the scenes of 'Touching the Void'

For the play "Touching the Void", Stageworks Theatre actors have the challenge of portraying a story about a journey on a 20,000-foot mountain within a small, intimate environment. FOX 13's photojournalist Barry Wong reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - For the play "Touching the Void," Stageworks Theatre actors have the challenge of portraying a story about a journey on a 20,000-foot mountain within a small, intimate environment. 

"I hope they experience a little bit of fear," actor Robert Logan Mays said. "I hope they're on the edge of their seat."

The backstory:

The play is based on the 1988 book of the same name. It recounts the story of mountain climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates after suffering an accident on the 20,000-foot-high Siula Grande mountain in Peru. Simpson was stranded with a broken leg. 

READ: BTS announces global tour with back-to-back shows in Tampa

"He manifests his sister in his mind," actor Luis Rivera, the actor who plays Simpson, said. "His sister pretty much gets him through this whole ordeal. You know, a figment of his imagination, but she's there."

Dig deeper:

The play features four actors. To tell the grand story, they will be acting on an 18-foot wall and a pair of pillars. They will both be climbing, repelling and even falling during the show. 

"It's a really cool concept where it's not going to look like your typical wall," Rivera said. "The wall is a character in itself. The wall is part of our show. I kind of see it as the fifth actor in the play."

Rivera, who is an experienced climber, and Mays, who plays Yates, are both looking forward to the physical and emotional challenges that the play presents. 

MORE: Children’s Gasparilla 2026 Guide: Here’s what to know

"When I first heard about this show, I was like, Oh my gosh, the stunts are going to be so much fun," Mays said. "As I started to get more and more into my research and understanding the overall story of these characters and the perils that they went through, I got even more excited because I could be able to do like these big, big physical elements that I love to do and also have like such this deep emotional connection and emotional storytelling, and it was just an amazing way for both of them to come together."

What they're saying:

Rivera says the emotions of the play are all within the title, asking audience members about the voids in their lives. He hopes the story showcases the power and hope of the human spirit. 

"I just hope they get wrapped up in this role as much as myself and the other performers have been over the past month or so," Mays said. 

What's next:

The play's two-week run at Stageworks Theatre in Tampa opens on Friday night, January 16. Tickets range from $30—$50.