De Kus

A woman and a man meet on a country path. He is a standup comic who feels lost in the world; she's anxious about a recent medical diagnosis and the possibility of death. Both came out here to be alone, to think about their troubles, but instead they found each other. Dutch playwright Ger Thijs' drama De Kus (The Kiss) is about the strange twists our lives take; in solitude we find each other, and in each other we find solace. Upstream Theater opens its eleventh season with the American premiere of De Kus, translated by Paul Evans. Performances take place at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday (October 9 through 25) and at 7 p.m. Sunday (October 12 and 18) at the Kranzberg Arts Center (501 North Grand Boulevard; 314-863-4999 or www.upstreamtheater.org). There is one 2 p.m. matinee Sunday, October 25. Tickets are $20 to $30.