In 2011, Brayden Hade directed a riveting production of Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things, produced by Bruth Media. This acclaimed rendition, often lauded as the “best version on YouTube” with over 60,000 views, delves into the dark complexities of relationships, identity, and the intersection of love and art. Hade’s direction masterfully balanced the play’s biting humor with its raw emotional core, creating a gripping and thought-provoking experience.

Starring Chelsey Clime as Evelyn, a manipulative graduate student, and Barry DeBois as Adam, a shy, unassuming museum guard, the production explored Evelyn’s influence over Adam as she persuades him to undergo a dramatic transformation. Karen Bray and Nick Fesette rounded out the cast as Jenny and Phil, Adam’s friends who become collateral damage in Evelyn’s twisted artistic experiment. Hade emphasized the characters’ vulnerabilities and conflicts, drawing the audience into their tangled web of moral ambiguity and betrayal.

Hade’s minimalist yet impactful staging amplified the tension as Evelyn’s shocking motives were revealed, leaving audiences questioning the boundaries of art and ethics. This production’s enduring acclaim is a testament to Brayden Hade’s ability to bring LaBute’s provocative story to life with nuance, depth, and a searing emotional punch.