“Rule of Thumb,” an international theater production directed by Beth F. Milles, associate professor of performing and media arts, opens Feb. 23 at The Cherry Arts in Ithaca.

The play – written by Berlin-based Serbian playwright and screenwriter Iva Brdar, who will visit Cornell in conjunction with the production to meet with faculty and students – tells the story of Ana and Monika, two young Swedish women who enter a hitchhiking contest and find themselves taking a series of car rides through the borderlands of Serbia and Bulgaria. “Rule of Thumb” explores themes of class and cultural divide and questions of economic and refugee migration from global and local perspectives.

“’Rule of Thumb’ is a dynamic journey from start to finish – the play crosses borders and boundaries, spanning time and perceptions with delight and an impish curiosity. Brdar’s play is a poetic treatise and a ruthless exploration of expedition and the desire to expand one’s horizons,” said Milles.

After the Ithaca run, the production will travel to New York City as part of New York-based Voyage Theater Company’s Parts Unknown reading series.

“Rule of Thumb” is shortlisted for European playwriting competitions based in Germany and the U.K.

Tickets for the Ithaca run are $20. See a longer version of this story here.