In the first production of the newly-created School of Visual and Performing Arts, the theatre arts department at the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma will perform Samuel D. Hunter’s “The Whale” Nov. 18-19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Davis Hall Little Theatre.

Recently released as a full-length feature film starring Brendan Fraser to critical acclaim at this year’s Venice Film Festival, “The Whale” is about Charlie, a 600-pound, middle-aged, gay man, as he attempts to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter. Supporting himself by teaching online writing courses and facing congestive heart failure, Charlie joins with a Mormon missionary and a nurse on a hero’s journey that challenges audiences to see beyond their prejudice.