In 1990, playwright Lee Blessing wrote “Two Rooms,” a story of a man being held hostage by terrorists in a room in Beirut, Lebanon. On the other side of the world, his wife is in another room, trying to understand what her husband is enduring, hopeful for his return.

Now, in 2016, the play is a reality for many. That is why student director Brandi Bailey knew this would be the perfect production for her senior project.

Second Stage Theatre will perform at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Welsbacher Theatre at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex at 29th St. and Oliver. Students and can get one free ticket with a Shocker ID.

“The play just really stood out to me from the start,” Bailey said. “I just felt like that was such a different perspective on the war and things that are still going on in the world.”

Bailey is a senior theatre major with a directing emphasis. Last November, she and other theatre students submitted proposals for this year’s Second Stage production. The submissions included the play, the reason why it was chosen and the potential directors’ ideas for the production.

A short time later, Bailey was chosen as the director for the production.

“Both me and the actors are more emotionally involved than usual,” Bailey said.

That is true for junior theater major Lexy Witcher who plays the leading role, her first in a serious drama.

“It’s challenging, but because of that it has been very rewarding,” Witcher said.

“Two Rooms” has been a different experience for Witcher, and the rest of the four-person cast.

“It’s different for all of us because there aren’t any breaks, there is constantly something happening on stage,” Witcher said.

The director and cast describe the play as intense and somber.

“I hope that the audience is really pulled into this world, and I hope they learn something,” Bailey said.

Witcher and Bailey have extensively researched the topic, which made the play real for them.

“It’s definitely given me an insight into what families have gone through,” Witcher said.

The play is going to be an intense and eye opening experience for many, Witcher said.

“I think it’s a thinker, you see it and it affects you and you will still be thinking about it a few days later,” Bailey said.