The Grappler 2024-2025 Issue

THE GRAPPLER

2024-2025 EDITION

Photo Credit: Jeff Goldberg/Esto

TABLE OF CONTENTS A Note from the Editors

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LeeAnne Nakamura and Katherine Shuert The Folded Map Project at Rivendell– Chicago Theater, not just Theater in Chicago.

Eva Strazek

6

Good and Bad Behavior in the Audience Katherine Shuert

9

Thoughts on Great Gatsby Theatrical Adaptations Kateleen Quiles

12

The Imperfect Art and The Starving Artist Katherine Shuert

15

Looking at Modern Dance: An Investigation of IMPASSE Katherine Shuert

18

2024-2025

PRODUCTION COVERAGE Little Women LeeAnne Nakamura

21

All’s Well That Ends Well Katherine Shuert

23

Lottery Day Eva Strazek

25

Ride the Cyclone Katherine Shuert

27

The Chronicles of the Kaleidoscope Visitors Laura Rodriguez Sierra

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Left Unheard Eva Strazek

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2024-2025

A NOTE FROM YOUR EDITORS LEEANNE NAKAMURA AND KATHERINE SHUERT

To our patiently awaiting writers, readers, and followers, The Grappler is back for a special end of year edition!

Over the 2024-2025 academic year, The Theatre School kicked off its Centennial Celebration in January. The Grappler joined the festivities during spring quarter as several writers had the opportunity to visit the Richardson Library’s Special Collections to complete archival work, looking into the first 100 years of TTS. This culminated in a live event at Playwright Central during Wrights of Spring, where our writers shared their discoveries about The Theatre School’s one hundred year history.

If you were able to join us for this event, we hope you enjoyed this retrospective on The Theatre School’s first 100 years.

Partially in conjunction with the Centennial, the theme of this year’s season was “Who were we. Who are we know. Who will we be.” While our writers pitched their articles, we cannot help but think about how this theme also runs through their work. From first meeting pitches to the fully realized ideas, our writers looked at what’s currently being produced here in Chicago and around the country, covering development histories and next steps for these productions. The variety of theatrical and dance productions our writers covered makes us excited to see how these performances impact their approaches and understandings of a piece in their future work.

We also cannot help but think of this past season’s theme in reflection with The Grappler as we reflect on this past year and look ahead.

Who were we.

During our respective freshmen years, we joined The Grappler looking for a place to write about our interests and how they intersected with theatre. As contributors, we learned the 101s of Grappler, from first meeting pitches to group feedback sessions.

And, with the editors before us running different quarterly series, we not only participated in additional writing opportunities, but witnessed how The Grappler continuously evolves.

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Who are we now.

At the end of our first year as co-editors of The Grappler, we balanced our previous experiences with the conditions our group of writers faced this year. While carrying on several traditions, we also explored how The Grappler can continue evolving to best meet our writers’ needs. Learning by trial and error, we kept moving forward and found our way here.

Who will we be.

LeeAnne: In the words of The Amazing Karnak, from this year’s production of Ride the Cyclone, “And now you’re probably wondering what happens next…that, I possibly couldn’t tell you.” As I finish my time as one of The Grappler’s co-editors, as well as a student at The Theatre School, I know I will carry the skills I learned here into my future endeavours. In graduating this year, I am also thrilled to announce Eva Strazek as The Grappler’s newest co-editor. I look forward to what’s in store for The Grappler and what next year’s team creates!

Katherine: In this past academic year, the season’s theme of who we were, who we are, and who will we be has weighed heavy on my mind. Aligning with my junior year I found myself investigating the same questions “Who have I been? Who am I now? Who do I want to be?”. In a serendipitous act, the season’s theme, my coursework, and personal wonderings melded together to foster a year of reflection and consideration for the future. Writing about theatre - the art my peers make, the shows I see around the city, and the kind of art that keeps me up night, that inspires me - is what has been helping me start to answer those questions. As I bid this year farewell, I want to welcome a new season of questions, whatever they may be. I also want to welcome my new Co-Editor Eva Strazek, her passion and drive are a constant inspiration to me and I cannot wait to work with her in this role.

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THE FOLDED MAP PROJECT AT RIVENDELL– CHICAGO THEATER, NOT JUST THEATER IN CHICAGO

BY EVA STRAZEK

Every morning, five days a week and forty

One day, while photographing a group of

weeks a year, Tonika Johnson took the 50

Northside addresses, Johnson was

bus north on Damen Avenue to her high

questioned by a bystander on what she

school, Lane Tech Prep, from her

was doing, so she explained. When the

neighborhood of Englewood– a trip that

woman showed interest in Johnson’s

didn’t even require a transfer. Peering out

project, Johnson offered to interview her,

the window as the sun rose, she watched

and from then on her reach expanded into

a map fill out—an urban landscape

other realms and languages besides purely

growing and developing as she got

photographic.

further and further from the neighborhood she was born and raised

Johnson and interested observers were

in.

able to grow roots throughout the city to bring “map twins” together, and have

Several years later, after graduating from

honest conversations about the tangible

Columbia College with a degree in

impacts of Chicago’s inequity.

photography, Johnson [unintentionally] laid the groundwork for an expansive,

Now, the roots of The Folded Map Project

multi-disciplinary movement– combining

have expanded into the theatrical realm,

photography, activism, and real and raw

with an ensemble of devisors at Rivendell

conversations about segregation in the

Theater company primed and ready to

city of Chicago. With a camera in hand,

take Johnson’s vision to the stage and

Johnson decided to “fold the map” of

engage Chicagoans with their community

Chicago, finding addresses that

at large. Brit Cooper-Robinson, the current

correspond to each other on the North

Head of Community Engagement at

and South sides of the city and

Rivendell, says that she was fascinated

photographing them in tandem. As

with the project early on when it was still

Johnson started to share the pictures in

purely photographic, and she was an early

exhibits, her work began to inspire not

career artist. “I said to (Johnson)” Cooper-

only native Chicagoans, but those in

Robinson says, “this should be a play. And

other classically segregated cities to fold

she says– wait– other people have said this

their own map, explore neighborhoods

to me, can you help me with it.”

off of their beaten path, and have those hard conversations about why most US cities look the way that they look.

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Photo Credit: Tonika Lewis Johnson, from Folded Map Project website (sourced from Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago)

In 2019, a theatrical form of Johnson’s

“She genuinely understands it,

exhibit was offered a slot at Encounter, a

(devising), which, interestingly– we’ve

two-week winter festival of theater, dance,

found a lot of people don’t.

and spoken word curated around the

Unfortunately, it’s not kind of quite a

themes of equity and inclusion, taking

well-used muscle. Not a lot of people

place at The University of Chicago. The two

get to do it, and most people don’t. So

worked with other artists to write an early

having her at the helm was extremely

prototype, which was a smashing success.

beneficial.”

In the meantime, Cooper-Robinson began

As of right now, the project is in the works,

work at Rivendell, a company known for

being devised in Rivendell’s rehearsal

doing socially charged work that often

room. Cooper-Robinsons says that it is

tours all over the country– such as Women

fascinating, to see something she’d

at War, a touring production about

watched for so long, and observed as an

female veterans, curated and directed by

entirely different art form, grow into

Tara Mallen, the founder and Artistic

something that manifests into a full-scale

Director at Rivendell.

performance.

As a community engagement manager,

The devising process has gotten off to an

Cooper-Robinson connects the material

extensive start. Hours and hours are spent

Rivendell showcases onstage and tangible

reading transcripts of the Map twin

efforts by the theatre company to actively

interviews, talking to Johnson and Map

better the community it is working with

twins who were willing to speak live– then,

and within. The team has been working

improvising scenes and stage pictures

together with Quenna Barrett, a

based on what stood out to them in their

Chicagoian director and social activist,

readings, and starting to dive into

who Cooper-Robinson says has mastered

personal anecdotes and writings from the

the art of devising.

cast and crew.

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The material they are working with hits

“That’s a lot of what we’ll start tackling in

home for the majority of the ensemble in all

January. The goal is for this to be the kind of

sorts of different ways, due to the nature of

ensemble piece where the actors come and

this country and its successful attempts at

go, and we can break it into pieces– so we

dividing racial communities all over the

can have ten minutes in a classroom– or if

nation.

we’re touring eventually, we can just throw it up in a bar. We can do it wherever.”

As the artists continue to explore the worlds inside of the media that Johnson curated, Cooper-Robinson and the ensemble at Rivendell make sure to keep their intentions with the project centered around Johnson, and her original intentions with the project.

“You know, it was coming into the 2016 election when Chicago’s name was in everybody’s mouth,” Cooper-Robinson says, recalling the early days of Johnson’s photo exhibits. “Like a lot of us, Tonika was so fed

When I learned about this project during

up with it. She was saying: ‘Stop saying we

my Civic Dramaturgy class in the Fall

are Chi-raq. Stop saying we are a war zone.

Quarter, I felt a deep interest and

Stop lying on my home.’ So that was the

attachment immediately. I am especially

impetus to do something, for her.”

interested in Urban planning and development and sociology, and it

With a devised, documentary style and

contextualized the segregation I witnessed

process, the ensemble at Rivendell Theater

in both Chicago and my hometown of

is working tirelessly to serve Tonika

Cleveland, OH. The project is impactful and

Johnson’s original purpose when she

meaningful and can be a force of real,

decided to take her first set of photos. In the

material change in major cities across the

coming year, The Folded Map Project™ will

US.

continue to devise and showcase its unique elements throughout the process.

The Folded Map ™ team will reconvene in January, with a year of brainstorming and

“We want her (Johnson)’s biography to be

showcasing their process ahead. It’s

the through line.” Says Cooper-Robinson.

Chicago theater at its core.

“There’s all kinds of exciting discussion all

“Theater is so intrinsic to this city, in the

around that. Like is it Teenager Tonika on

same way, so many other things are, like

the Western bus telling us this story? Is it

comedy, or music,” says Cooper-Robinson.

her at different ages? You know, which

“So, It would be such a disservice to Chicago

parts are we highlighting?”

and also to Folded Map ™, if there were not a theatrical version of her (Johnson)’s work.”

EVA STRAZEK (SHE/HER) IS A BFA3 DRAMATURGY & DRAMATIC CRITICISM MAJOR FROM LAKEWOOD, OHIO

To learn more about Tonika Johnson’s Work and the story of The Folded Map Project here: https://www.foldedmapproject.com/

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GOOD AND BAD BEHAVIOR IN THE AUDIENCE

BY KATHERINE SHUERT

Theatre involves a specific communion

We go to the theatre to experience a

between artist and viewer. In no other

connection with the artists - not each

form is there such an intimate and

other. In spite of this, our connection is

physically realized form of contact

inevitable, and we each impact each

between creator and consumer than in

other’s experience by our mere presence.

live performance.

What occurs between audience members is forceful and colors the experience of the

Like any religious service, a group enters

art being presented.

where each party holds onto their individual expectations of experience

I find my fellow audience members to be

(something inspiring, something

something of an annoyance. I imagine

awakening, something joyful, something

they think of me the same way (if they

healing) spurred by the actions of the

think of me at all). The person sitting in

speaker, or, in theatre’s case, the artist. This

front of me is always too tall, the person

relationship, which is so carefully studied,

behind whispers constantly to their

so upheld as a defining feature of theatre,

neighbor, during the intermission the

and so enamoring in its effect, has been a

party seated to my right enjoys vapid and

constant source of wonder and curiosity in

uninteresting conversation distracting me

my own writing. It teeters on the border of

from my serious and interesting thoughts

obsession.

on the play. In the past, I have prided myself on caring very little about these

In my most recent adventures to the

minimal irritations. The couple who is

theatre, I have not thought very much

seated late nearby, causing the whole row

about the dynamic of this relationship.

to stand in the middle of the first scene, is

Instead, I’ve found myself distracted.

inconsequential in the grand scheme.

Rather than fixated by the passings

They likely had a good reason to be late, or

between myself and the performers, I am

not, regardless, it shouldn’t matter to me.

instead lost inside the examination of

But it does.

another dynamic I have neglected in my consideration of the theatrical experience -

I do not mean to suggest that I am the

other audience members.

perfect audience member and that, should everyone behave as I do, we would

They are like me, and also not like me. That

have more perfect theatrical experiences. I

is to say, while they are not me, and have

am instead fixated on how I have tried to

different lives, interests, experiences, and

diminish the impact that the audience

values and will almost certainly have

has on my experience, as if the fact that I

different reactions to the same

am in a room full of people is coincidental.

performance than me, we are in the same position. We both sit in the house as viewers.

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Theatre is rarely made for an audience of

Yet, I cannot imagine anything other than

one. It is not just some economic necessity

a truly emergent circumstance which

that fills a theatre with rows and rows of

would cause me to, after two and half

seats.

hours of viewing and the precious money spent on my ticket, decide that the

I am beginning to feel that this

additional two minutes spent on

communion between myself and my

applause is such an unimaginable

fellow audience members is just as

sacrifice to snub the artists of their

sacred as that between myself and the

respects. These were world class dancers,

artists.

they put their bodies on the line so that people may enjoy a pleasant evening.

Only it is one that is less considered and less

They are deserving of the slight

treasured.

inconvenience to say thank you.

At the ballet this past weekend I had a

There are times and places for proper

great seat. From my spot in the house, I

behavior. The theatre can be, and often is,

would have had a near perfect view of the

a venue for a rather expansive definition

stage, far enough away to take in the whole

of “proper”. Depending on the

picture, close enough to capture the

circumstance, a wide array of reactions is

dancers’ expressions. Then, a teenage boy, a

acceptable. The theatre can be a place for

head taller than anyone else in the theatre,

quiet contemplation or rowdy hollering. I

sat in the seat directly in front of mine. So, I

have never known it, however, to be the

spent the entirety of the ensuing

venue for couples to engage in overly

performance watching the dancing from

intimate displays of affection in the first

either side of his head, jockeying for the

row of a fifty seat theatre (this of course

optimal view, undoubtedly setting off a

did not stop them this past weekend

chain reaction of slight irritations to those

either).

seated behind me.

At a musical in the same weekend, I When the evening at the ballet came to an

noted an amusing pre-show

end, I was enraged by the hoards of people

announcement embedded into the

leaving before the final curtain call. I found

opening monologue that outlined strict

them classless, disrespectful, and

instructions about which armrest was

completely ridiculous. I can understand the

considered yours versus your neighbor’s.

impulse to try and beat the masses, for no

The Amazing Karnak from Ride the

one enjoys an overcrowded lobby

Cyclone carefully outlined that the right

bottlenecked to too few doors. I empathize

armrest was mine and left armrest was

with the anxiety of navigating a crowded

my neighbors. While this information was

parking garage, for I also despise driving in

not applicable to my actual seating

tight spaces (or driving anywhere at all). I

arrangement (as each audience member

too share the desire to make the earliest

was equipped with a full set of armrests),

train possible, because once that curtain

it reminded me once again of the subtle

finally falls I want nothing more than the

connections that I share with these

freedom from my heels and the comfort of

strangers. Even these most mundane and

my bed.

asinine interactions, like the struggle for the territory of the left armrest, should be uplifted as a distinct feature of the artform I love.

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Theatre necessitates the connection of

Similarly, my willingness must impact

flesh. It needs more than one living body

their comfort to do the same. All of this in

to share a space together.

turn, affects the energy the performers receive from us, affecting the resulting

I too often fixate on the meetings

performance. Perhaps if I were more

between performer and audience, but I

comfortable around strangers, more

now realize that the meetings between

willing to engage with the audience to

viewers is also a part of what makes

which I belong, I’d get a better show.

theatre a living and breathing artform.

When I consider it for a bit longer, the A hundred strangers in a room, coming

women complaining about their

from all different places, to leave

husbands’ inadequacies at household

afterwards for varied destinations, share

tasks during the intermission are not

in something. They share in something in

mere annoyances to be put up with. They

spite of the annoyance they cause each

remind me that not everyone comes to

other. In spite of the aggravation of

the theatre for the same reasons I do, but

interaction with the public, we leave the

they still come to enjoy it all the same. If I

comfort of our couches and the safety of

take the time to consider more than his

our locked doors to open ourselves up,

inconvenient stature, the tall teenage boy

not just to art, but to each other. Even in

reminds me of how special it was for

the smallest ways.

someone to take me to the ballet when I was young, and reminds me how grateful

A musical, like the one from the

I am that someone had. If I can force

aforementioned viewing, begs for the

myself beyond the initial discomfort of

audiences’ outpour of energy. It is

brushing elbows with the great unknown,

something the performers need, it feeds

I can find small, but nonetheless beautiful,

them. A musical with a silent audience is

communions like the ones I look for on

just as awkward and stifling as a concert

stage. These people are not me, but they

with an audience that refuses shouts or

are like me. What we share is a worthy

applause. My comfort or discomfort to

obsession.

engage in such audible displays are

KATHERINE SHUERT (SHE/HER) IS A BFA

impacted by the willingness of those

3 DRAMATURGY AND DRAMATIC

around me to do the same.

CRITICISM MAJOR FROM LOMBARD, IL

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THOUGHTS ON GREAT GATSBY THEATRICAL ADAPTATIONS

BY KATELEEN QUILES

The recurring thought of F. Scott

Entering the year 2021, The Great Gatsby

Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby never often

became public domain, allowing for

crossed my mind after Junior year of high

different adaptations and renditions to be

school. Until I saw the Broadway World

produced widely.

headline on The Great Gatsby: A New Musical starring Jeremy Jordan and Eva

Many artists find historical parallels between

Noblezada. Immediately, I raved at the

the 1920s and the 2020s, drawing inspiration

thought of two Broadway legends coming

to produce adaptations. Most strikingly, the

together and blessing the stage with their

global COVID-19 pandemic and the Spanish

beautiful voices. With Jeremy Jordan's star

Flu.

performances as Jack Kelly in Newsies and Eva Noblezada’s breathtaking vocals as

The Great Gatsby: A New Musical contains

Eurydice in Hadestown, I hoped this new

book written by Kait Kerrigan and Lyrics and

musical would showcase the height of their

Music by Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen.

talent.

Additionally, the musical stars Noah J. Ricketts (Nick Caraway) and Samantha Pauly (Jordan Baker). This musical rendition of Gatsby went on to receive a large number of awards and nominations including Tony Award 2024 for Best Costume Design in a Musical. The musical, since its broadway debut in March 2024, has grossed around $34,843,175 in box office sales.

Gatsby The Musical has become a wide

The Great Gatsby is a novel with several

sensation through popular songs such as

complex themes unveiling narratives on the

“Roaring On.” Promotional rehearsal clips

“roaring twenties” and fragmented

were posted of the cast singing this catchy

perceptions of the American Dream. This

tune, which is my personal favorite from the

historical and widely acclaimed novel

soundtrack. The official soundtrack was

becomes adapted into a Broadway Musical

released in June of 2024, sharing the

and the first thought that many young

production's original songs to the public.

theater fans, such as myself, draw to are the two starring actors. My pressing questions: Is

With the talented voices of Jeremy Jordan,

this Gatsby adaptation critically needed in

Eva Noblezada, Samantha Pauly, and Noah

Broadway’s season this year, or is it another

J. Ricketts, the soundtrack highlights the

adaptation with a wow-factor to draw in

skill of their vocal ability. It’s almost

audience revenue? Is it the rendition of The

impossible to get the sensation “New

Great Gatsby that deserves the most fame?

Money” out of your mind through its catchy tune and Samantha Pauly’s impressive vocal ability. There is no doubt that this cast is talented and dynamic.

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When adaptations of a renowned piece of cultural work are produced, there is an opportunity to offer different perspectives on a pre-existing art piece.

The Great Gatsby: A New Musical is NOT the first theatrical adaptation of The Great Gatsby out there. Yet, because of its Photo Credit: Jeremy Daniel

I would like to clarify that although I haven’t seen the actual musical production of The Great Gatsby yet, a large amount of promotional photography, performance clips on news shows, and soundtrack unveil the aesthetic priority in the delivery of the Gatsby musical. With its substantial awards in costume and set design, the production delivers its specialization in spectacle.

This analysis does lead me to believe that this rendition prioritizes the “glitz” and “glamor” of the roaring twenties. As Sara Holdren, theater reviewer and critic at Vulture, puts it: “...his Gatsby feels like it

Broadway credit and grab, it is the one that we hear about the most today. Some wonderful examples I’d like to draw your attention to are Gatz (2012) and The Great Gatsby: The Immersive Show (2015).

Gatz is a theatrical rendition of The Great Gatsby that performs a reading of the novel word-for-word. Gatz was adapted by the theater ensemble group, Elevator Repair Service. An eight-hour production, the story follows a bored office worker who unknowingly, picks up a copy of The Great Gatsby and begins reading it aloud. Slowly, his office co-workers join in as the story transforms into an immersion to the world of The Great Gatsby.

belongs on a cruise or in a theme park…A century on, retellers of his story, like his hordes of party guests, remain distracted by the spectacle.” It simply cannot be said better. It almost reminds me of students who read the novel in an American literature class and don’t pay attention to the social themes veiled underneath the Gatsby’s parties. Possibly one of the most important layers about these parties is that Jay Gatsby flaunts his membership of high society, while hiding underneath the hollowness of his life without Daisy.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

The eight hour production consists of dinner breaks with the breakdown looking like this: Chapters 1, 2, 3 for 2 hours; 15 minute break; chapters 4 and 5 for 1 hour and 15 minutes; dinner break; chapter 6 and a part of 7 for 1 hour and 30 minutes; 15 minute break; and end of chapter 7, 8, and 9 for an hour and 30 minutes.

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

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Although it sounds like a punishment, this concept of a novel re-enactment pushed boundaries in the accepted theatrical customs, drawing in large numbers of curious audience-members.

The creativity and brilliance of Gatz ran again this past November at the Newman Theater in NYC. The Great Gatsby: The Immersive Show is another unique look into how audienceperformer dynamics are challenged. The Gatsby Immersive Show began its run in London 2015 with the Gatsby story set in a

Photo Credit: Helen Maybanks

prohibition-era drugstore, beginning with

This adaptation of The Great Gatsby has

a man addressing the audience about a

become London’s longest running

memory he had of an invitation delivery.

immersive show, running for seven years

Following that, the world, characters, and

and moving on to other international

story of The Great Gatsby break loose in

versions being produced.

an audience-interactive retelling.

The list of other The Great Gatsby Theatrical adaptations goes on, honoring and exploring this timeless, historic tale of Jay Gatsby that is integral to the American Identity. Different productions focus on different performance aspects and delivery.

While jarringly this Broadway adaptation seems to have a primary focus on spectacle and Broadway talent, some audience Photo Credit: Mark Senior

members have a preference for flaunty musical productions like that. Others don’t

In an interview with the producer, Brian

have the stamina to sit down and pay

Hook, he states that “About 20% of the

attention to a live-novel re-enactment for 8

dialogue is improvised with the audience.

hours. To each their own.

If they follow certain characters and win

The Broadway Gatsby Musical just adds

their trust, they’re given tasks, notes to

another layer of commentary as we go back

pass on or choose not to… but they have

and assess this story: what important,

the ability to challenge and to influence

jarring parts can we take away? What

who knows what, to raise and lower the

remains prevalent in our modern society,

stakes.” The core and plot of The Great

and what can that reflect on America’s

Gatsby remains the same in this

history? The art of theatrical production

production, but the immersive delivery

allows us to re-envision complexities of a

style excites the minds of audience

story that would not have been possible

members and performers, keeping the

through just reading a novel.

story fresh and exciting every show.

KATELEEN QUILES (SHE/HER) IS A BFA1 THEATRE ARTS & JOURNALISM DOUBLE MAJOR FROM MIAMI, FLORIDA

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THE IMPERFECT ART AND THE STARVING ARTIST

BY KATHERINE SHUERT

“ A L L T R U E A R T I S T S , W H E T H E R T H E Y K N O W I T O R N O T , C R E AT E F R O M A PLACE OF NO-MIND, FROM INNER STILLNESS.” ― James McNeill Whistler

James McNeill Whistler, an American

It is the rational soul that is behind

painter active during the nineteenth

humanity’s ability to think and reason, but

century, used music-based naming

of greater importance, why humanity

conventions to title his works. He

creates.

christened them symphonies, nocturnes, and arrangements. He

Loving something is finding a piece of

believed music the more perfect art

humanity in it, extending to it a piece of

because, unlike his mimetic paintings,

our soul. Making art is a passionate act.

music attempted no imitation. By his

Making art is soul giving.

logic then, theatre is the least perfect of the arts.

Theatre is a desperate search for those pieces of soul, so generously given away, so

Theatre aims to create something of

difficult to discover again.

life. Its artists imagine themselves gods, build their world, and impose a heavy

Before emotion or thought, there is a

hand over their dominion. They levy

sensation, a sense of greatness, something

their own laws while imitating or

nearly beyond human and entirely human

rejecting those of nature. They are

all the same. It feels like discovering a new

doomed to fail. Artists are not gods.

hole in your chest and feeling it filled, like

Theatre can only achieve recreation. It is

coming up for air after holding your breath,

humanity reaching beyond its

like waking up after never realizing you’ve

humanness.

been asleep. It strikes lightning through your whole body then leaves you just as soon, wanting more without knowing how

Aristotle distinguishes three types or

to get it. It is soul recognizing soul.

levels of soul that gain complexity with its accompanying lifeform: the nutritive

These soul meetings, these great

soul (attributed to plants, the least

communions, that sustain artists. It is food,

complex life form) allows for the ability

it is water. But these are rare feasts. We are

to persist and grow; the sensitive soul

all starving.

(or animal soul) incorporates the additional power of perception; finally,

Theatre artists are fated to starve.

the rational soul is what separates humanity from these other forms of life.

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I am so hungry. That empty hole has been

Alexander Ekman’s Midsummer Night’s

so seldom filled. Perhaps the cliche of the

Dream:

“starving artist” never referred to money,

This production of Midsummer is

but to this. This emptiness stirs, it rages

organized chaos from start to finish. Not

beneath my heart and above my womb.

to be confused with the beloved Shakespearean comedy, Ekman’s ballet

It is nothing trying to make itself

follows the experience of The Dreamer

something, a continual caving in of

during the Swedish summer solstice

imagined barriers.

festival. Act one follows The Dreamer through the festivities, then act two

This hunger warps me. Most attempts,

carries him into his dreamland, where the

from myself and others, to sate this cruel

audience must follow. In this dreamscape,

appetite fail miserably. I am at art’s mercy.

I felt as if I’d been transported into a Dalí

Yet there are memories of satisfaction,

painting. Objects and dancers flew across

the sweet taste of soul communions, that

the stage at mass speed, leaving me little

sustain me through famine.

time to consider their meaning or beauty (or lack of either).

Robert Lepage’s The Tragedy of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark: From the back of the house, I watched Ophelia, in a momentous death scene.

Traditionally played offstage, her tragic drowning was no longer hidden from audience view. Her body was suspended in a thin sheet of pale blue, the silhouettes of muscles rippling through to swallow her whole as the obscured

Photo Credit: Hans Nilsson

ensemble manipulated her body from behind the great swath of blue fabric.

Then a change. A triple pas de deux - in

Drowning is always a descent, but in this

canon, three couples journey across the

version her death took her in the direction

stage, finding themselves in each other’s

of the heavens. The simplicity of the sheet

embrace. Striped away was the chaos and

was sublime, a display of the ingenuity of

maximalism and absurdity of what came

theatre.

before. I was left with a subtle impression of intimacy. Quiet. I was no longer held captive in a lawless and feverish dream, but fully present in a brief moment where flesh gently met flesh, like the union of two souls destined for love.

Chicago Shakespeare Theatre’s Richard III (2024): The cast of Richard turned the theater into a classroom, lecturing in the art of violence onstage. Soon they had me trained in how to expect the play’s vicious deeds;

Photo Credit: Stephane Bourgeois

16

As I performed it for the last time, I reached the end and realized I had begun crying. I looked into the audience, searching for the origin of my tears.

Instead, all I found was the piece of me she saw in that piece, the piece of her soul she gifted it, the piece of mine I met it with. In a piece about being left behind, in a moment of my life when I was so alone, she spoke to me in a place that words Photo Credit: Liz Lauren

in silhouette or obscured by crafty angles

cannot reach. In that spiritual and artistic communion, she let me know that there, in my loneliness, she was with me.

and punctuated by spurts of blood and shrilling screams. So, towards the end of the play, I waited in silent and anxious

I know what it means to be full. When I

anticipation as the assassin sent to kill two

dance, there are no words to distract me

young princes disappeared behind a

from the sensations in my body. When I

curtain. I imagined a gruesome scene. The

otherwise feel splintered between body,

princes, played by puppets, had potential

mind, and soul, dance makes me feel

for a variety of torture. They might have

whole. I am one with myself. I am

been ripped apart, their limbs tangled and

everything and nothing. Billy Elliot, a

disfigured, their parts strewn about. So, I

young and fictional dancer whose story

waited, muscles tense and eyes fixed for

was preached to me time and time again

the shadow of a slash or the silhouette of a

by dance teachers past described dancing

stab yet remained deprived after nothing

like this, “Sort of feels good. Sort of stiff and

but silence and stillness. After what might

that, but once I get going then I forget

have been mere seconds which that

everything, and I sort of disappear.”. There

stagnant stage stretched into years, the

comes a point, as performer or viewer,

assassin emerged alone covered in blood.

when the art takes over. Rather than

Never had so much nothing caused so

being in it or seeing it, you become of it,

much fear.

you belong to it. Amidst the fabrications of art, this real feeling is conjured.

Ballet Solo 2023, California and Me Last winter, I performed a solo a dear friend had choreographed for me. It was an intimate and loving act. She crafted

KATHERINE SHUERT (SHE/HER) IS A BFA 3 DRAMATURGY AND DRAMATIC CRITICISM MAJOR FROM LOMBARD, IL

every moment with my body and my soul in mind. She fashioned each step to suit my strengths and to push me physically.

All the while, I was unaware of the threads of love she was weaving through it, the story she was writing for me.

17

LOOKING AT MODERN DANCE: AN INVESTIGATION OF IMPASSE

BY KATHERINE SHUERT

“Wait. Wait. Wait. WAIT. WAIT!” screams

The “new” has immense power in this piece,

the woman all in black. After the entire

absorbing whatever came before it.

world disappears behind a single door, after all the life and light and energy and

The set is largely bare, a clean and

spirit of that place rushes into that black

impressionable slate. All that exists is the

hole of house, her head peaks through a

slight outline of a house in white light, the

slight opening and she urges “Wait.”

door of it barely visible as the rest of the structure is camouflaged by an all

But wait for what?

encompassing black. For a moment, this world is only 2D. Then, the door opens, and a woman emerges in a simple dress of light green.

Her initial solo veers between genres. She experiments trying to find something that feels comfortable, that feels right. Yet whether her quality be fast or slow, rigid or smooth, sophisticated or simple, there is a dissatisfaction. She runs circles around the stage, searching, but never finding.

Two men enter from the same discreet door, each in a shirt of blue or red. They too try out different movements and

Photo Credit: Joris-Jan Bos

sequences. While the trio spends much of their time in simultaneous isolation,

IMPASSE, a short dance piece by Johan

working through their own series of steps,

Inger, follows a main trio of characters

there are moments when they follow after

who are embraced and seduced by two

each other, mimicking another’s

increasingly flashy and exciting groups

movements, parroting each other in canon.

of performers in a series of three loose

Like toddlers making foam block towers,

scenes. It investigates the strenuous

they stack new ideas, hoping for something

paradox between the vibrance and

to stand. Many times, however, their towers

strength found in embedding oneself in

tumble and their bodies consequently fall

community and the loss of their

as well. It is in these moments that a

individual distinctions and sense of self

language between them is established.

that comes with joining the horde.

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The two men dance in unison while the

But these dancers in black are enticing

woman continues dancing on her own.

and soon the original three are drawn into

The connection between the two men

their ranks, taking on this choreography

spurs them into raucous laughter.

and leaving behind the patterns and

However, this union, this understanding

motifs of their own breakthroughs in the

between the two men is not one the

first scene. It is all too easy to miss the

woman can join. She does not fit in it. In

parts of themselves that melt away in the

time however, each dancer builds their

fray of the fun.

own unique connection to the others, illustrating how their dynamics change

Then, like a kind plug pulled from a full

depending on how they are paired.

bath, the door swings open and all the dancers, including the original three, rush

These brief bouts of unity between them,

inside the house, the door slamming

sometimes two at a time or all three

behind them with apparent finality. That

together, make three distinct dynamics

is, until the woman in black pokes her

apparent for each of them:

head out to use a muscle often neglected in dance – the voice. “Wait” she says,

who they are when they are alone, who

before disappearing behind the once

they are in each respective pairing, and

again closed door. Again, she emerges

who they are in the group.

“Wait.”, a bit louder and more stern, then gone once more. She repeats this routine,

In this first scene, the players illustrate

gaining volume and intensity with each

individual and group journey’s of self

pass, culminating in a great yelling

discovery. They attempt to find

command “WAIT!”. The ensemble

themselves, sometimes leaning on each

explodes out of the house with the

other for guidance. The insecurity of their

original three dancers now joining them in

movement speaks to the insecurity of

their signature black.

their identities. It is only when dancing together that they begin to find some

Now absorbed in the group, the entire

stability. They cannot discover who they

ensemble dances together in a final

are alone. They learn from each other to

rendition of the fiery and thrilling big band

learn about themselves.

dance. The three are now a part of something and, as joyous and as

New additions to the cast disturb the

exhilarating seeing the grandiosity of this

trio’s investigations, shaking the slight

large group move together is, they are

foundations of understanding they had

now harder to pick out. They get lost.

come to know. Coming out in increasing numbers, dancers in black burst through

And so, the house becomes smaller.

the same door bringing with them an energizing spirit that throws the original

Here is the trap, the awful dual reality of

three dancers into a whole different world.

finding a place in the world. In the act of

They, in their own mix of unisons and

joining, there is something gained and

stand out solos, deliver a new flavor of

another thing sacrificed. As the stirring

movement alongside brassy up-tempo

horns fade, the original three dancers

horns. They are flaming hot. The original

return to their experiments.

three watch them in awe.

19

The dancers in black replace the previous

The trio examines it and sets it down

house by one identical in every facet but

before the world behind them awakens,

size, now noticeably smaller. With it, the

threatening to pull them away from the

size of the stage shrinks too, the lights

last shred of who they were.

tightening in on a reduced playing space.

Their community has grown, but their

A menacing curtain begins to lower on

world has shrunk.

this final scene. Every dancer rushes forward in a desperate attempt to break

Soon an even newer and even more

away, only to fall and be dragged back by

intoxicating group comes through the

their fellow performers.

door. Dressed in vibrant colors and ruffles, a kind of carnival appears. There are

The original trio eventually tear

clowns, a showgirl, and other alluring

themselves away, the woman crawling

performers. The members of this circus-

through the gap of the curtain and stage

like troop take on the ensemble dressed

just before it closes. The three of them are

in black who are so quickly drawn in by

now left alone with their shrunken home,

the various arousing dances of this group.

and the piece ends. How is one meant to

They are seduced and the stage erupts

imagine them after the lights go down?

into chaos. The rest of the ensemble now

Swayed each time by the new,

converted, dawning hand-me-down

intoxicated by the unknown, only to be

costume pieces to aid in their

left with a dollhouse-sized remnant of the

transformation, joins in a moment of

world they knew. Perhaps it is their last

fierce uniform action, culminating in a

remaining piece of innocence. Experience

sudden freeze.

at the cost of purity.

So what of the woman yelling “Wait!”?

What was to be waited for? As each new splendor made its way into the trio’s world, they were caught up in each new encounter. Completely enthralled, perhaps just waiting for the next amazing thing to find them. They lose quite a bit of agency in their own story, morphing to fit the world changing around them, rather than taking an active hand in the

Photo Credit: Joris-Jan Bos

changing itself. For the trio, waiting for each new experience only granted the

The woman, once in green, breaks the

illusion of progression. In truth, their

stillness, stepping out of line. She calls to

passivity stole from them the opportunity

her original companions.

of invention.

“David?”

“What?”

“Something.”

Like the woman in black, the world may say to wait, and it may be just as compelling in its command. The trio may

No sooner does she utter that singular

now know more, but are left with no

word than an even smaller version of the

room to explore themselves.

house is thrust into David’s hands.

KATHERINE SHUERT (SHE/HER) IS A BFA 3 DRAMATURGY AND DRAMATIC CRITICISM MAJOR FROM LOMBARD, IL

20

THEATRE SCHOOL PRODUCTION COVERAGE LITTLE WOMEN

BY LEEANNE NAKAMURA

Marisha Chamberlain’s adaptation of Little

A pattern then establishes itself for the

Women by Louisa May Alcott, and

remainder of the play as the sisters quarrel

directed by Carolyn Hoerdemann,

over problems large and small, such as Amy

presents the story of the March sisters like

burning Jo’s book of stories to who can

a scrapbook, emphasizing the moments

accept an invitation to the theatre, the

and events that define Jo, Meg, Amy, and

Laurences stop by to offer gifts and comfort,

Beth’s sisterhood, rather than their day-to-

and the sisters work through their

day lives. Bonding, fights, grief, and love,

differences by trying to understand each

each experience finds its way into this

other’s perspective.

story as it does in most sister or sibling relationships.

Unlike many audience members, I was not familiar with the source material. I certainly

The play opens with the March sisters

knew of the March sisters, but never read

preparing for their family’s Christmas

the book or watched any of its film

celebration, with the sisters discussing

adaptations. While this did not affect my

what they bought for their mother,

understanding of Little Women’s story, I felt

Marmee, using their Christmas dollar and

like I missed the chance to really know the

rehearsing a play. This first scene

characters. Due to this adaptation focusing

establishes the four sisters’ dynamics,

on the defining moments of the March

along with their individual nature. We

sisters’ lives, the quieter moments of life

watch as Jo leads the play she wrote,

were overlooked, when the sisters could go

expecting only the best from her sisters’

about their daily lives, without working

and their performances, Meg comforts her

towards an immediate goal. While this

sisters when conflict arises, Beth plays the

adaptation featured moments of character

piano due to her bashfulness around

development, namely for Jo and Amy, the

others, and Amy begrudgingly follows the

lack of build-up to a change in attitude left

others’ lead. After performing their play for

me dissatisfied. Character growth was

Marmee, the March’s neighbors, Old Mr.

presented like a two-sided argument, the

Laurence, Laurie, and Brooke, surprise the

sisters do not understand each other and

family by delivering Christmas supper

fight or they do and work together.

after Marmee brings their meal to another family in need.

21

This production’s hour and a half runtime

But in my head, I saw reflections of my older

meant disagreements were quickly settled

sister and I playing school in the mid-2000s,

or a character rarely had time to reflect on

with my sister pretending to be the school

their past mistakes before making amends.

teacher and I, begrudgingly, playing the

Perhaps because I often find my way into a

student since I simply wanted to spend time

story through the characters, watching the

with her. And perhaps, this is where the

March sisters grow up in a way that only

production’s strength lies. Not in retelling the

accounts for linear development, excluding

complete story of Little Women, but

the missteps that can also shape how a

reminding audience members of the role

person views the world, left me wishing the

older and/or younger siblings play in shaping

nuances of each sister were further

who we grow up to become.

explored.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, adapted Despite my yearning to learn more about

by Marisha Chamberlain, and directed by

each March sister, this production excelled

Carolyn Hoerdemann presents the story of Jo,

in realistically depicting life with siblings

Meg, Beth, and Amy March as they encounter

based on the various dynamics Jo, Meg,

the joys and challenges of sisterhood, or

Beth, and Amy share with each other. From

siblinghood, touching on a universal

fights and (empty) promises of never

experience that transcends its 19th century

forgiving one’s sister, to becoming fiercely

setting. With this abridged adaptation, the

protective of each other, the March sisters

audience tends to follow the March sisters in

portray the resilience of this type of bond. I

moments when they are all present, sparing

experienced a sense of nostalgia when

little time for individual or side character

watching the March sisters’ interactions.

development. In doing so, this production

While on-stage, I watched the March sisters

serves as a proper introduction to Little

attempt to stage a Christmas performance

Women while motivating new fans, like

in the 1860s.

myself, to read Alcott’s novel to dive deeper into the world of the March sisters.

LEEANNE NAKAMURA (SHE/HER) IS A BFA4 DRAMATURGY & DRAMATIC CRITICISM MAJOR FROM LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA

22

ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

BY KATHERINE SHUERT

What if this fairytale did not end with

This directorial choice intensifies the

happily-ever-after?

tension in Helena’s pursuit of Bertram, as she chases a man who not so simply does

In a cross-hatched and grayscale world, a

not love her but cannot love her. Instead,

heroine in black, where all is dark and

Bertram loves the liar Parolles, and how

gothic, the team behind All’s Well That

they choose to deal with their feelings for

Ends Well has made its dark fairytale. The

each other becomes the impetus for

design for the production, inspired by the

much of the action in this production’s

work of Edward Gorey, aims to

second act. The introduction (or rather

aesthetically support a kind of anti-

revealing) of this love triangle suits the

fairytale telling of All’s Well without

production and provides a welcome rise in

sacrificing any of the expected whimsy.

the stakes of the play’s action.

All’s Well That Ends Well directed by Nicole Riccardi, immediately transports

While this interpretation was certainly

the audience into a darker than typical

commendable and exciting, the pointed

storybook-type land.

and clear decision to elevate Bertram and Parolles’ romance to the foreground in act

The costumes design from Zach Grasee

one was lacking in the more meandering

and Sophie Uno and set design from

act two. The idea that Bertram’s pursuit of

Devin Meseke were a constant delight.

Diana is a kind of revenge in lovers’

Beatrice’s sullen and dark wardrobe

squabble between him and Parolles gets

offered a fresh take on the visual

lost in the many schemes and plans

expectations for a romance heroine. Still in

present in the second act. While all

petticoats and puff sleeves, now in

characters in this portion of the play are

nocturn shades of black, Beatrice appears

pawns in each other’s games, the lovers

completely at home in the storybook

plot between Bertram and Parolles, which

proportioned world of high arches and

seemed so primary in the first half,

paned windows.

becomes secondary to other plots as the play goes on. In a boxing match for the

Beyond an excellent execution in

audience’s attention, their romance and

establishing this dark storybook-like visual

eventual fallout loses to Helena’s and the

universe, this rendition of All’s Well

Dumaine brother’s trickery.

presents a strong interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s so-called “problem plays”.

Still, it is hard to be too critical when the

Moving away from Bertram’s more

ensemble stealing the show is such an

traditional class-based rejection of

asset to the production. Unhindered by

Beatrice, this production brings the

their purposefully dreary and gray-scale

subtextual and textual subtleties

world, the ensemble shines vibrantly.

surrounding Bertram’s sexuality to the forefront of the play, providing higher stakes and a more compelling reasoning for his rejection of the heroine Helena.

23

Each character, central to the story or not,

Once a groundbreaking figure in

provides their own distinct texture to this

Shakespeare’s oeuvre for how she, despite

production, making each scene truly

her position (as a lower-class woman)

enjoyable. The ensemble carries the

takes hold of life, her future, and her

comedy of this production, keeping the

sexuality, she now seems only to serve as a

play’s moments of laughter and silliness

reminder that this is no fairytale at all. She

alive and well through such a dark take on

plays second fiddle in a romance that is no

this fairytale. While this production had

longer hers. Her desire fades into the

many successes, the work of the general

background as her quest for love is turned

ensemble deserves particular distinction.

into something ill-fated. Her mission in act two feels desperate and futile because all

As the play nears its end, it is clear that

her scheming and plotting is for nothing,

there is no such thing as “happily-ever-

as she chases a man who will never truly

after”. Our heroine, Helena, ends the play

love her. Rather than her fairytale prince,

united through deception and trickery

she gets a hollow shell of what she had

with a husband who can never love her.

hoped for, and she had to deceive and plot for even that much. This production’s Helena then is no fairytale heroine at all, but an embodiment of the show’s message - not all ends well after all.

KATHERINE SHUERT (SHE/HER) IS A BFA 3 DRAMATURGY AND DRAMATIC CRITICISM MAJOR FROM LOMBARD, IL

24

LOTTERY DAY: WHAT IS HOME?

BY EVA STRAZEK

Ike Holter’s Lottery Day contemplates a

I am a white DePaul student– though I

burning question: Who in America gets to

relate to the characters in Lottery Day

have access to a home? Not a material

through the lens of class, I will never be

home– a wooden cabin, a brick building,

able to fully comprehend the racial

four stone walls– but a place to call home.

impacts and implications of gentrification,

A community.

or the experiences unique to those born and raised in Chicago.

Lottery Day is the final installment in Holter’s “ Rightlynd Saga”- a seven-play

Holter follows in the footsteps of the late

series set in a fictional neighborhood on

great August Wilson, whose own multi-

Chicago’s near West side. Throughout the

play cycle is set in the predominantly

cycle, Holter shines a spotlight on

Black Hill District of Pittsburgh,

teachers, government officials, arts

Pennsylvania. The Wilson cycle explores

professionals, and countless other strong

the suppression and struggle of Black

personalities that light up Rightlynd’s

Americans throughout the 20th century,

bustling blocks. The show tells an

culminating in a play entitled Radio Golf,

important story to a large audience of

set in 1997, in which the first black mayor

Chicago transplants, depicting the line

of Pittsburgh vows to revive the Hill

between moving to and embracing a

district, but questions his mission when he

community, and intruding on and

realizes he may be contributing to

inadvertently erasing, centuries of history.

massive gentrification efforts. Lottery Day explores a similar story, centering around

I know the cycle of gentrification well– I’ve

one predominantly Black and Brown area,

lived in the same house for twenty-one

and how it grows and changes as time

years, watching the neighborhood around

marches on. Unlike Wilson’s series, Holter's

me shift from a community of working-

seven-play saga takes place over a decade

class Clevelanders and refugee families to

(2009-2019) as opposed to a century. The

a trendy hotspot with cocktail lounges,

shorter time span allows him to zero in on

coffee shops, and transplants from bigger

the 2010s – a paramount decade for

cities and wealthier suburbs. The show

African Americans, the working class,

struck me as a victim of gentrification, but

queer people, and other marginalized

also as an inadvertent perpetrator—a

voices. In a single decade, we saw the

Chicago transplant. DePaul was the

housing market crash, the first Black

guiding force in the gentrification of

president elected, the passing of Overfell v

Lincoln Park, which was once a working-

Hodges, and the rise of Donald Trump.

class Puerto-Rican community and is now

Holter's intimate and realistic dialogue is

a playground for wealthy, white

representative, in every conversation,

millennials.

every conflict, every simple interaction between characters, of something larger– the systemic and structural forces that loom over us while we watch helplessly, devoid of any control.

25

Holter’s characters, many of them queer

The partygoers cannot outrun values bred

people of color, are impacted by the the

by Western, white capitalism– the same

great pendulum swings of the 2010s. The

values that promote forces like

political, social, and economic climate

gentrification. It is not lost on me that

informs everything in Holter’s theatrical

Ricky, the only white character in the

world. Even the smallest aspects of

show, wins the first competition,

setting, character, and plot are distinctly

unknowingly aided by the labor of

influenced by the vast and rapid political

Robinson, a Black character. Holter’s

change occurring when the show takes

characterizations, as opposed to Wilson’s,

place. Instead of mirroring the past, Holter

are rooted in idiosyncratic behaviors and

has his characters live through history,

characteristics. While Wilson’s characters

depicting the influence centuries of

stand more as symbols that represent

history has on these characters..

Black personhood in a specific decade, Holter breathes new life into the cyclical

Lottery Day is set at a backyard party

machine by creating dynamic, raw, and

hosted by Mallory, the de facto matriarch

real personalities that light up the stage.

of the Rightlynd neighborhood. Mallory notes that her house is the only one left on

I was most interested in the conflict

the block that has not been demolished

between Vivien (Alejandra Tamez) and

and reconstructed, and she intends to let the new neighbors know who’s in charge.

She decides to gather all of her local friends together for a special, fictitious “holiday” party with lots of music, booze, pot, and barbecue meat. Yet, an undercurrent of uneasiness and fear permeates the moments before the event.

This “holiday” seems to be bigger and more controversial than any of the guests could have anticipated. Simultaneously, Vivien, Mallory’s high-rise dwelling neighbor, expresses a fragile mental state and her disdain for Mallory’s “explosive” backyard parties. She warns Mallory before guests arrive that “Lottery Day” may just be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

After all the guests settle in, Mallory announces that every guest is invited– no, required— to participate in a series of challenges where one will win a large sum of money. Here, we see the first fracture in a once inseparable group. Holter uses the device of a competition to show a tightknit community driven to dog-eat-dog

Mallory (Chelsea Russell)-- deeming them an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. Both women are psychologically fragile and deeply manipulative, with both actresses embodying emotional peaks and valleys flawlessly. Yet, as I watched the women bicker, I couldn't help realizing an ocean existed between them. Vivien grew up in an upper-middle-class family, out in the suburbs, and works for a predatory development company. She moves into Mallory's neighborhood, where she did not grow up or even visit, makes no effort to connect with any members of the community, and then imposes her own set of rules onto Mallory, feeling entitled to every detail about her personal life and traumatic past. Vivien decides to place her roots down at the site of Mallory's greatest tragedy, and proceeds to impose on her one emotional outlet. As Mallory deals with post-traumatic stress disorder, grief, and depression, she is pushed away, abandoned by her community by the end of the show.

individualism.

26

While everyone else is allowed to feel

The resolution of Lottery Day is not

those big, intense, messy emotions when

supposed to lift spirits– it is supposed to

dealing with trauma and grief, Black

introduce the audience to the perspective

women are expected to hold it in and

they may not want to acknowledge. The

stay strong, focus on uplifting their

reality is that things change due to forces

community, and process everything on

out of our control– relationships,

their own. It is a major failure on the part

neighborhoods, families, and economic

of both men and non- Black women.

situations. The play is original and fresh.

With Mallory as a vessel, Holter

Holter's devotion to Chicago-area nuances

illuminates this problematic structural

and relevant pop culture references sets it

phenomenon.

apart from its predecessors. Lottery Day is an epic ending to a historical saga.

At the end of the show, I felt a bit melancholy– upset that Mallory was abandoned by the people she trusted most– but somewhat relieved that

EVA STRAZEK (SHE/HER) IS A BFA3 DRAMATURGY & DRAMATIC CRITICISM MAJOR FROM LAKEWOOD, OHIO

Mallory was now burdenless, free of caring for an entire community.

RIDE THE CYCLONE

BY KATHERINE SHUERT

Ride the Cyclone by Jacob Richmond and

For many this show was a highly

Brooke Maxwell is a musical with a cult

anticipated event, a shining light of fun

following. Featuring a chorus of six dead

and excitement in the typically cold and

teens, a magical fortune telling machine

bleak winter quarter trudge.

called the Amazing Karnak, and the looming presence of the rat named Virgil

During the pre-show, I was taken by the

(who’s chewing of Karnak’s power cable

great detail and texture of the set,

puts a pressing time limit on the events of

designed by Nora Brooks-Slauter. Worn

the show), Ride the Cyclone is an energetic

and weathered by years and events

and quirky one act set in a whimsical but

unknown, my eyes searched the stage

unsettling carnival purgatory.

and its surrounding three islands of miscellaneous junk (said in the most

Beloved by young audiences for its refusal

affectionate way) hoping to discover all

to shy away from the grittier parts of teen

the things hidden and tucked within each

existence, it’s no surprise that the show

crevice. I was in a kind of non-place of lost

completely sold out for its Theatre School

things, an abandoned carnival to be dug

debut. The night I was in attendance was

through.

no exception; the house was packed, and the energy was electric.

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I was of course delighted to find that,

Coya Paz’s director’s note describes Ride

following their tragic deaths, the

the Cyclone as a life-affirming piece; a

ensemble of dead teens scavenged the

show that faces death head on with “joy,

set for various hidden props and costume

mystery, and a catchy-soundtrack”. There

pieces for each ensuing musical number.

is a charming quality to the show’s

The eerie magic of that strange purgatory

irreverent and unashamed investigation of

enhanced by the seeming conjuring of

what’s really important in life.

objects out of nowhere. It’s a special pleasure to see a show excel in some of

As each character reflects on who they

the magic tricks theatre has to offer. In

were while alive, who they’d want to be if

this production shadow work, puppetry,

they get to go back, I found myself

and lighting all flex their theatrical

questioning “What parts of my life would

muscles and its quite the gun show.

stand out in a witty pop song? Would people cheer for me if I performed the

Speaking of flexing, it’s not every day our

highlights reel of my life and dreams?

actors get to show off the full range of

Would they vote me back?”.

their vocal strengths. In this musical, each member of the ensemble performs a song

It's an interesting consideration in the

hoping to persuade the others it is them

context of the theatrical space. We spend

who should be saved and returned to the world of the living. Ranging from upbeat pop to rap to operatic ballads, this show offers its cast the opportunity to display a variety of talents. This cast took that opportunity and soared, wowing me with

so much of our time performing for others. It’s our passion, it’s what gives us life. We are not so unlike these unfortunate teens hoping for enough applause to send them back to the world of the living. We all hope and pray that our

singing, dancing, and showmanship that

audience wants an encore.

would’ve electrified a crowd much bigger

KATHERINE SHUERT (SHE/HER) IS A

than one the Healy Theater can hold.

BFA 3 DRAMATURGY AND DRAMATIC CRITICISM MAJOR FROM LOMBARD, IL

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THE CHRONICLES OF THE KALEIDOSCOPE VISITORS: AN EXTENDED PROGRAM NOTE

BY LAURA RODRIGUEZ SIERRA IN COLLABORATION WITH EVA STRAZEK

During last Spring Quarter at The Theatre

Playwright Omer Abbas Salem took

School in 2024, Production meetings for

inspiration from the story of the Green

The Chronicles of the Kaleidoscope

Children of Woolpit when writing the play.

Visitors had already begun. Now a year

In the 12th century Suffolk, England, the

later, the full play came into full bloom

villagers of Woolpit came across two green

and closed on Saturday, May 31. The

children, presumably a sister and brother,

following article is a brief overview of the

who spoke an unrecognizable language.

production and the dramaturgical work

The siblings were taken in by the country

created for the final Playworks show of

squire, Sir Richard de Calne, and baptized

The Theatre School’s 2024-2025

by the village’s church. The girl learned the

production season.

local language and slowly adapted to her surroundings (even losing her green tint) —

The Program Note

but her brother did not survive.

A remote and icy island where snow flurries from the sky and the wind whistles

Historians have pondered the children’s

in your ears. Kaleidoscope has never seen

origin and their odd tint. Some believe the

a flower, but grows hundreds of tons of

children were faeries, but the truth is lost to

bread. Every ten years, a new family of

history. The Chronicles of the Kaleidoscope

farmers inhabits the icy territory until they

Visitors spins the tale of The Green Children

harvest enough bounty to return to the

of Woolpit into an adventurous allegory of

mainland. Sister Fibonacci, the youngest

two botanical sisters with magical

villager, is growing bored with dull,

capabilities. As the faeries stay on the

repetitive life.

island, one sister assimilates into the villagers' culture, while the other longs for

One day, Gorgoo and Gagaa, two faeries,

her homeland and grows ill. The sisters

appear in Kaleidoscope. The faeries are

reveal their magic to the humans, and

bright green, covered in flora, and unable

some villagers plot to exploit their power.

to speak or understand English. Part plant, part human, they have the power to grow

The Chronicles of the Kaleidoscope Visitors

flowers and vegetables straight from the

isn’t just a play about a magical island and

ground. Sister Fibonacci welcomes the

two green faeries– it’s about you and your

faeries with open arms and an open

neighbors, learners and teachers, friends

mind– but the rest of the family mistrusts

and family.

the curious creatures.

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It combines the fairytales your parents

In our conversations with actors and

read to you growing up, the news we see

directors, Eva and I had discovered that

on TV every day, and the flowers that

there was a deep desire among the cast to

bloom in your backyard. Gorgoo and

share socio-political thoughts and

Gaaga represent immigrant populations

questions from the play. In a planned

and symbolize the natural world, — a world

dramaturgy discussion during a rehearsal,

constantly undergoing destruction, to

we asked actors to bring in a recent piece

serve the people who make the most

of news that related to the play. The cast

money. Sister Fibonacci, the young hero of

and directing team were split into groups

the story, inspires the audience to be open-

to talk about baby Brecht and concepts

minded, tolerant, and, most importantly,

extracted from Theatre of the Oppressed

open to learning new things.

regarding language literacy and the youth.

“Boal and Brecht used as foundational

In the second half of the discussion,

dramaturgical tools”

everyone congregated to share their news

- Laura Rodriguez Sierra

articles and analyze through the lens of Boal and Brecht. Many of the headlines

While analyzing the play and

concerned shifting policies in public

brainstorming materials for the

schools that place restrictions on language,

production, Eva and I felt strongly about

lesson plans, courses, migrant and

developing a theoretical foundation based

undocumented youth, and banned

on Bertolt Brecht’s Epic Theatre and

literature and studies.

Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed.

We cleverly coined the term “baby Brecht,”

The rehearsal room was charged with

arguing that The Chronicles of the

activist excitement where thoughts on

Kaleidoscope Visitors is a Brechtian

assimilation, language loss, color blindness,

allegorical tale informing and critically

interpersonal accountability, immigration,

challenging young audiences. Initially our

and cultural and political dissatisfaction

team was skeptical with such an approach

spread like wild ivy. After the intense

of analysis considering Brecht and Boal for

conversation came to a close, actors and

a contemporary children’s play about plant

the directing team shared a gratitude for

faeries and magic; however, our

the space to speak, listen, and learn. That

discussions in rehearsals flourished in

day, plans for the show changed in many

beautiful ways.

ways to best fit a united mission for the play. Choices in design, staging, and character work shifted to exhibit a merging of two worlds colliding on Kaleidoscope between the green fairies and Sister Fibonacci. The role of the Learners (a group of folks in the play’s society that dedicate their life to learning, teaching, inventing, and discovering) also grew in importance when choosing motifs of emphasis. It was profound moment of gratitude to be a facilitator to a discussion rich of revelations and passions and witness to theatre magic during a rehearsal process.

Photo provided by Laura Rodriguez Sierra

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The Chronicles of the Kaleidoscope

Beyond facilitated discussions, in the spirit

Visitors encourages young audiences to

of Brecht’s artistic collage projects and

seek answers that feel right to their world

Boal’s literacy advocacy, a storybook was

directly in text and through allegory.

created for The Chronicles of The

Sister FIbonacci rejects the village’s fears,

Kaleidoscope Visitors Team. The storybook

ignorance, rules, and schemes and

included the full dramaturgy packet along

chooses to lead with her heart and mind.

with annotations and images from discussions and interactive pages for

The discussion practiced in the rehearsal

participants to write and draw in. The

room among adults was a guided active

storybook is now a physical piece of

Brectian-Boal process of thought in

history of the production, its

which social problems were noticed and

dramaturgical work, and the world of

criticized and action was initiated in the

Kaleidoscope as seen through the eyes of

vessel of a children’s play. The characters

the first team and cast to perform the play.

who may have at first been considered

LAURA RODRIGUEZ SIERRA (SHE/HER)

simply another adult in a child’s narrative transformed into active participants of a greater mission to share with an audience

IS A BFA4 DRAMATURGY & DRAMATIC CRITICISM MAJOR, BORN IN PUERTO RICO AND RAISED IN THE SOUTH.

of youth who will be the future’s participants of necessary action.

Interior and exterior photos of the storybook created by this production’s dramaturgs, Laura Rodriguez Sierra and Eva Strazek.

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LEFT UNHEARD: MATERIALIZING THE REALITY OF INVISIBLE DISABILITY

BY EVA STRAZEK

“Tell her.”

The first character to emerge is “D”-- the physical form of Alodia’s progressing

“Tell him.”

disability, manifested as a giant red-andblack beetle. D blares an air horn upon

“Tell them.”

their entrance, as their way to announce “I’m here, bitches! And I’m here to stay.”

That’s what the voice echoing in Alodia’s head keeps repeating to her, over and

Alodia, of course, has no interest in D’s

over again. She’s stressed and overworked,

antics. But as the story unfolds, we learn

taking on two jobs to support her sister

that D is not just some annoying pest

with fibromyalgia, dealing with the fallout

attached to Alodia; D is part of her. The

of her older brother coming back to town,

two are one organism, one unable to

and harboring a massive secret of her

function without the other. D claims that

own.

when Alodia finally accepts that the two are intertwined, she’ll finally be happy. But

Alodia is trying to ignore it, but it’s

still, Alodia refuses. We begin to realize

becoming impossible. She’s losing her

that in this world, insects are an analogy

hearing, and she’s too ashamed to tell

for invisible limitations.

anyone about it.

Though we follow Alodia’s story from the “Tell them.”

beginning to the end of the play, the other people in her life all get their moments to

On the opposite side of the Healy Theatre

shine, and rightfully so. Alodia’s siblings,

to where I’m seated, there sits a giant box,

Jude and Ruth, are the bookends to her

completely carpeted, from floor to ceiling,

central storyline. Every character in the

courtesy of the commendable scenic

play is nuanced, multifaceted, and

designer Izaak Karry. As Left Unheard

endearing. Playwright Perse Grammer

takes shape before me, parts of the set

does an excellent job of zooming in on the

reveal themselves as movable and

lives of these secondary characters while

morphable — chunks of the structure

still maintaining a clear focus on Alodia

slide in and out like puzzle pieces as

and her siblings’ story.

characters emerge from the wall. The carpeting tamps the sound, it doesn’t echo – a brilliant way to introduce the audience to Alodia’s world.

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The narrative includes a multitude of

Mallory, a teacher who puts her heart

disabled experiences. Ruth, Alodia’s

and soul into her practice, realizes that

younger sister, is living with fibromyalgia,

she is accommodating one of her

a chronic illness that causes her immense

autistic students exactly how she would

and unstoppable pain. Mallory, Alodia’s ex-

have liked to be accommodated as a

girlfriend and Jude’s current girlfriend,

child, and that’s when everything clicks.

realises she is on the autism spectrum near the end of the play. Skye, Jude’s

For the entirety of the show, Mallory

roommate, suffers from familial trauma,

goes about her day with a beetle

PTSD, and panic attacks.

headpiece perched atop her hair, signifying the neurodivergence that is

The highlight of Left Unheard, for me, was

unbeknownst to her. When Mallory

how beautifully the playwriting, design,

realizes and accepts she’s likely autistic,

and technical elements united to

we see her holding and caressing the

materialize and demonstrate the

beetle as she embraces her disability.

experience of disability to audiences who

Grammer and costume designer

may not have familiarity with it. D and

Spencer Harrington truly outdid

Alodia’s constant bickering personifies the

themselves with this detail– it was tear-

impostor syndrome, vulnerability, and

jerking.

hopelessness many disabled people feel when their disability isn’t visible to the

Left Unheard was specifically impactful

naked eye. We often feel as if we are not

to me, someone who lives with an

“disabled enough”, or that there’s “really

invisible disability. More often than not,

nothing wrong” with us-- even when we

disabled characters are misrepresented

cannot withstand the unaccommodated

in the media, if even represented at all.

demands of everyday life. It can cause

Oftentimes, we’re the victims of poor,

spirals of negative thinking and self-

stereotypical, or one-dimensional

doubt, which we see Alodia struggle with.

portrayals that put our disability before our personhood. Grammer’s play

In an epic fight scene between D and

balances the impactful reality that

Alodia, we watch Alodia's final fleeting

disabilities can have on a person, but

attempts to separate herself from her

doesn’t reduce them to a caricature.

disability. But in the wake of the fight, Alodia finally accepts herself, and reveals

Alongside spectacular portrayals of

her disability to the people around her.

disability, Left Unheard was chalk full of

Her relationship with D changes into a

queer representation. I enjoyed the

mutually beneficial one. By the end of the

subplot about Jude’s trans identity, and

show, we finally see acceptance, as Alodia

I wish it could have been explored more.

pushes back the curtain in her window to

I also accept that there’s only so much

reveal a beautiful, colorful butterfly

you can fit into a 2-hour play.

mosaic, signifying self-acceptance.

33

I think creating a series of multiple plays, each centered around a different character from Left Unheard, could be a triumphant next step for Grammar. The writing and acting were superb, the design was impeccable, and the representation brought me to tears up in row four– (seriously, my autistic self would watch a full-length spin-off about Mallory). Left Unheard was another NPS (New Playwright Series) smash hit and demonstrates, once again, the exceptional talent of our BFA Playwrights.

EVA STRAZEK (SHE/HER) IS A BFA3 DRAMATURGY & DRAMATIC CRITICISM MAJOR FROM LAKEWOOD, OHIO

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Special thanks to: Rachel Shteir, Supervising Editor Martine Kei Green-Rogers, Dean of The Theatre School

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