This week, JustArts spoke with Jacqui Parker, the director of Brandeis Theater Arts’ “Intimate Apparel,” which was staged in the Laurie Theater of Spingold and ran from March 3 through 6.

justArts: How did you come across this opportunity to direct “Intimate Apparel?”

Jacqui Parker: I was contacted by [Prof.] Robert Walsh (THA), one of the professors here, and he asked me if I wanted to do “Intimate Apparel.” I have read the play, I had been offered the play years ago as an actor, and then again as a director, but I was doing other projects and couldn’t do it, and so when he called, I just said, “Absolutely!”

JA: What are some of the underlying themes of “Intimate Apparel”? What’s the gist of what the show is about?

JP: So, if you think of it as — when you walk in there, you’ll see there are beds, almost in every room, and the metaphor, I guess, would be social intercourse — how people interact with each other, and I see it as being about longing. Longing and loneliness, and at the same time, it’s courageous, and it’s brave. And so there are some definite racial undertones, especially given the period, and unfortunately, I think some of that is still happening today.

JA: What’s been your favorite part of directing the show?

JP: Getting to know the cast members, for sure. JA: What do you hope the audience gains from seeing the show?

JP: I hope that people start talking about race a little more, in terms of relationships. I really hope [so] for this campus. I’ve talked to people who are not in the play [and noticed] that people walk along these trails, and these beautiful hills and all these places — and just ignore each other. It’s something that I’ve noticed, it’s something that students do, it’s something the cast and I talked about — [I hope they] check in with each other. [S]ay hello; get to know each other. You don’t have to be the best of friends, but there’s a lot of friendliness on the campus, and then there’s that other side of the spectrum, where people just totally walk by each other and ignore each other. And they have classes in the same area, every day they walk by that person. So I hope people start talking, and maybe open up a little bit more, get to know each other a tittle better.