The controversial play “The Children’s Hour” by Lillian Hellman opens Nov. 16 in the Black Box Theatre for a four-night and one-matinee performance.

“It’s one of the landmark American plays of the 20th century,” director Bob Kempf said. “Historically it was the first play on Broadway that dealt with a gay theme. Before that, all of those had been banned.”

The play is set at an all-girls boarding school in the 1930s. When one of the students, Mary Tilfrod, runs away from campus, she tells her grandmother, one of the financers of the institution, that the two women that run the school are lesbian lovers in an attempt to avoid being sent back.

“Someone said to me, ‘this is a play about lesbians,’ and it’s really not, it’s more about how lies ruin lives,” Kempf said.

Brittany Beaver, who plays the troublemaker, Mary Tilford, said she loves the show.

“I am super excited about it,” Beaver said.

This is the second role for Beaver’s in a large production.

She was previously cast in Bakersfield College’s performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

“I wasn’t going to try [acting] because I always had a lot of stage fright, but then I took an intro to acting class and I just really liked it,” Beaver said.

The Black Box Theatre, where the performance takes place, is a very intimate setting, placing the audience members on the same level with the actors.

“I try not to focus too much on people watching me and more on just really getting into my character and being in the moment,” she said.

The performances are Nov. 16-19 at 7:30 p.m. and a 2 p.m. matinee on Nov. 19 in the Performance Arts Center 107.

The doors open 30 minutes prior to show time. As the venue is small, there is limited seating and no late entry after the start of the performance.

General admission is $10 and $8 for students, staff, and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the door and online at Vallitix.com.