On a typical day, students witness seniors completing their Independent Study through different methods: staring for long hours at a computer screen or book in their library carrel, or mixing dangerous chemicals in a science lab. But theatre and dance majors wonít be found in the libaray or a lab.
Senior theatre and dance majors Laura Vandiver, Alex Paolino-Gibson, Marten Dollinger and Allison Wadleigh showcased their productions this past weekend in a combined presentation titled ìIS^4.” The four performances were split between different nights, with Vandiver and Paolino-Gibson shows running on Thursday and Friday, while Dollinger and Wadleighís shows were showcased on Saturday and Sunday.
I noticed an interesting pairing between the four shows. Vandiver and Paolino-Gibsonís productions focused on controverisal issues such as body image and abortion, while Dollinger and Wadleighís performances were engineered with digital media. Each performance was unique because it became apparent that the audience would enter into a new world with its own rules and goals.
Vandiverís piece, ìA Good Face,” was derived from Neil Labuteís beauty plays series with three sections from ìThe Shape of Things,” ìFat Pig” and ìReasons to Be Pretty.” Each exposed the difficulties and issues surrounding society today about how beauty is perceived. Vandiver did an exceptional job of transforming into a different complex character for each scene.
Though each character exhibited different qualities of movement, stance and tone, all of the characters placed various values on beauty, but came to the same conclusion that looks were a huge factor in their lives. Vandiverís performance made me stop and think about how society and the media ask for unnecessary attention and promotion of a beauty standard.
Paolino-Gibsonís original piece, ìwait/ing,” did not pose a question to the audience about abortion; it asked them to talk. Through a series of monologues and dialogue, Paolino-Gibson beautifully weaved together a whole picture around the subject of abortion. Ryan Shafranek í13 introduced each scene by giving a context to the setting, allowing actors Kate Donnelly í13 and Maria Cox í12 to present multi-dimentional characters.
The stories were either fictional and true, but all were personal and less concerned about the plot ó giving the characters a chance to tell their story with complete honesty. Paolino-Gibson incorporated some elements of Native American performance in between the scenes, to indicate the start of† a new story.
As Shafranek pounded the floor to create a rhythm and beat similar to a drum, Donnelly and Cox chanted words that described the theme of the piece. The blended tones of a drum and strong words alluded to the sound of a heart beat.
To remind the audience politely about their main goal, each actor wrote on one side of the space in chalk, ìTALK.” I acknowledge that abortion can be a polarizing issue, but ìwait/ing” reminded me that we actually need to talk about this issue. Paolino-Gibson was not asking his audience to change their view on abortion. He wanted us to start meaningful conversations on this issue and listen to everyoneís story.
While Vandiver and Paolino-Gibsonís work used direct means of shedding light on controversial issues, Dollinger and Wadleighís productions separately employed digital media to introduce alternative realities.
ìEditors,” a film by Dollinger, chronicles the weekly struggles of college students running the student newspaper, ìThe Wooster Sound.” Using a format similar to the TV show, ìThe Office,” the film was composed of two episodes centered around editor-in-chief Clark, played by Jonah Comstock í10, and his co-workers, all trying to please, insult, or simply tolerate him. There was a great level of authenticity in the film; you felt as if you were looking through the eyes of someone working in the newsroom. I appreciate how Comstock and rest of cast displayed a great level of commitment and concentration to their parts and the story. It made the film all the more enjoyable.
Wadleighís use of technology in her original performance ìFacebook Me,” transported the audience into the world of the social networking site Facebook. With a computer screen displaying the site, Robin Reese (played by Carrie Muller í12) becomes so consumed by talking and spying on her friends on Facebook, that she magically finds herself† placed inside the site, hopelessly lost, but determined to find her way out.
She meets some of her friends, people she doesnít even know and annoying games and applications. It was quite comical how Wadleigh added all these important elements of the site, and each affected the relationships and conversations conducted in the ìonline” space.
The constant communication and socialization was overwhelming Mullerís character. Facebook is a great tool for communication, but we may need to step back and think about how it is affecting us socially. Itís hard to determine that at the moment, but this performance has prompted me to think about why we use sites such as Facebook. Overall, I was very moved and inspired by these performances.
Wooster Voice editors Jonah Comstock and Marten Dollinger did not contribute any reporting to this story.