‘Constellations’ looks at the many paths of relationship

OK, so we missed Jake Gyllenhaal and Rita Wilson on Broadway. (To say nothing of Rafe Spall and Sally Hawkins in the London original.)

But there's no reason to miss the award-winning play that brought them to the stage, thanks to Cockroach Theatre's production of Nick Payne's "Constellations," which opens a 12-performance run Thursday at downtown's Art Square Theatre.

Spinning a basic boy-meets-girl premise into multiple might-have-been alternatives, "Constellations" follows Marianne (Mathinee Washington) and Roland (Erik Amblad), who meet at a party and go for a drink. (Or maybe they don't.)

They fall madly in love and start dating, only to break up, reuniting after a chance encounter in a supermarket. Or maybe they get married. Or perhaps their time together will prove tragically short.

Levi Fackrell directs this study of one relationship's many possibilities, which will be staged at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Art Square Theatre, 1025 S. First St. Performances continue at 8 p.m. Jan. 21-23 and Jan. 28-30, with 2 p.m. matinees Jan. 24 and 31.

For tickets ($10-$20), call 725-222-9661 or visit www.cockroachtheatre.com.