“The Gin Dialogues” strikes a chord with avid book lovers in this student-directed production from ISU Theatre.

Brent LeBlanc, junior in performing arts, will be playing the lead as Gin, a young student who is intrigued by Plato’s “The Symposium” and writes an astounding book report that captures the attention of his teacher.

Having read the “Harry Potter” series, LeBlanc finds it easy to connect with his character and understands Gin’s fascination with Plato’s work.

Austin Kopsa, senior in performing arts, is the student director of the play and finds his title to be “exciting and terrifying at the same time.”

“It is taking everything you have ever learned about theatre and putting it to the test, which is extremely humbling,” Kopsa said.

Kit Williamson, the playwright, received the National Arts Club’s Playwrights First Award for The Gin Dialogues in 2009 and will be flying in from California to help with the production.

“I’m excited to see the production and talk to the cast about the process of working on the play. I’m also in the process of revising the play for a workshop at a theatre company in L.A. called Rogue Machine, so this will be my first time seeing a lot of this material up on its feet,” Williamson said.

Williamson’s inspiration to create such a play came from reading “The Symposium” as well, and eventually led him “to model the structure of the play around the progression of speeches in the book.”

For those who have not read Plato’s philosophical text, his work concerns the origin and meaning of love; hence the name “platonic love.”

“The Gin Dialogues” presents this platonic love between the teacher and Gin and ultimately affects their relationships with their loved ones.

“I think it’s amazing that Iowa State is tackling a production of a new play — I hope more institutions follow their lead,” Williamson said.