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THE REVIEW I FEBRUARY 12, 2015
CULTURE
by Ashwini Bandi and Sukul Mittal
Chimpanzee playwrights, a woman 23 hours into labor and construction workers with secret identities were just a few performances in this year’s winter plays. This winter took a slight departure from past plays, with directors highlighting intimate performances. WINTER PLAY
15 minutes Sophomore Sophie Clayton performed one of the eleven monologues featured in “Talking With...” Clayton played an actress preparing for a show.
Eleven different characters, ranging from a crazy actress to a religious snake handler, took the stage for “Talking With…” by Jane Martin. Performed on Jan. 29 and 30, the play featured a collection of eleven monologues by an entirely female cast. Each monologue was five to six minutes long. “All of the characters are so different and have different quirks about themselves. I think it’s really cool that [the show] goes under the surface,” said sophomore Sophie Clayton, who plays a young actress. While the characters may seem eccentric, all of their actions are driven by desperation. “Talking With…” showcases each of the characters in a vulnerable state where they have an honest conversation with the audience. “Every character is obsessed with one thing, which seems kind of silly, but at the end of the monologue you realize that there’s a deeper meaning behind it,” freshman Katy Shafer said.
Instead of suggesting a clear, unifying theme, the play is open to many different interpretations. “There’s not necessarily one thing that connects all the characters. When you come see it, you develop your own thread as an audience member,” director Avital Stolar (‘08) said. The nature of the play resulted in less interaction between cast members. “It’s kind of like jumping into the deep end,” sophomore Frances Hellums said. “When you have someone else who you are interacting with, it’s more about reacting. When you’re in a monologue, you’re by yourself. It’s all on you.” Hellums plays a woman in labor who is giving birth to a deformed child. “My monologue is leading up to giving birth and dealing with the situation and talking through it,” Hellums said. Despite the pressure of performing solo, the actresses appreciated the positive aspects of performing monologues. “You control whatever’s going on. If you mess up, no one will know,” Clayton said. Clayton also believes that the play was a valuable learning experience. “It’s a really good skill to have. You have to be able to be in a monologue and not depend on anyone else in order to go further,” she said. “I do enjoy being in musicals, but I think this was a good experience.”
MARISA MURILLO
Winter season features diverse one-acts, monologues
Monkey business Senior Zoe Margolis, junior Kyra Link and freshman Will Rippeto portray monkeys in the play “Words, Words, Words,” by David Ives. WINTER ONE-ACTS
The one-acts consisted of two 10-minute plays performed in the Black Box Theater, Jan. 9. According to Fine Arts Director Bill McDonald, an excess of eager actors and actresses lead to the addition of winter one-acts. In the first play, “Words, Words, Words” by David Ives, actors portrayed chimpanzees being forced by a mysterious scientist to write a classic English play. “It’s nerve-wracking, but also very nice, to have the opportunity to be in the play and eventually the musical,” said freshman Will Rippeto,
who played a chimpanzee. The only freshman in the cast, Rippeto has been acting since he was young and will perform in the musical later this spring. Students also played three New Jersey construction workers who believe they had famous secret identities in “Mere Mortals.” “I really enjoyed the cast that I was working with, and I also enjoyed getting to put a beard on my face,” said sophomore Emma Boehme, who played a construction worker along with junior Gabe Malek and sophomore Matthew Walsh.