Carrie Review
Bloody Brilliant: A Review of Drake University’s Production of Carrie
By Mariah Crutchfield
Carrie is a musical by Lawrence D. Cohen which deals with bullying, high school drama,
a girl with special abilities, and a revenge plot that changes the course of the lives of everyone
at the senior prom. This ninety-minute play follows Carrie White, a girl raised by her religious
mother and a social outcast among her peers. A number of heavy themes are covered,
including self-harm, religious trauma, bullying, abuse, and heartbreak, as the audience is led
through the play from an outsider’s perspective.
Although the story mainly centers around Carrie, she is often in the presence of other
students or school faculty who help to drive the plot through either their interactions with Carrie
or with each other. The main characters are not only convincing high schoolers or faculty, but
the couples all seem to have real and deep connections between each other and the other
students. Even the student’s animosity towards Carrie doesn't seem forced. This helps to
humanize the characters and add to the verisimilitude of what would otherwise be a fantastical
show.
The cast also had beautiful and clear voices that really supported the main action and
plot of the play. Two voices that particularly stood out to me belong to Carrie and her mom.
Carrie’s mother did an amazing job of making those musical numbers truly haunting through
action, expression, and the attention she paid to pitch and tone. I truly felt that she was old
enough to be a mother without having to suspend my disbelief. Carrie, especially in her solos,
had a crisp vocal quality which felt appropriate for a highschool student.
Something else that stood out to me about this production was the set design. I think
there were a number of really smart decisions the director made in that regard. Several different
locations were clearly denoted requiring minimal changes to the layout. The pieces that made
up the prayer room and the school lockers worked particularly well by allowing for these multiple
designated spaces without causing enough down time to lose the momentum of the show. The
windows that covered the stained-glass murals was an especially nice touch, as it added some
much-needed color to the set and separation of the school, the church, and Carrie’s house.
Drake University’s production of Carrie was well-received with applause after every
number and a standing ovation at the end. Throughout the show, the audience’s energy was
notably high and continued to build through the rising action and even into the climax of the play.
This script has a relatively short falling action and this helped to maintain the excitement well
into the resolution. The audience was still buzzing when it came time for the curtain call.
By Mariah Crutchfield
Carrie is a musical by Lawrence D. Cohen which deals with bullying, high school drama,
a girl with special abilities, and a revenge plot that changes the course of the lives of everyone
at the senior prom. This ninety-minute play follows Carrie White, a girl raised by her religious
mother and a social outcast among her peers. A number of heavy themes are covered,
including self-harm, religious trauma, bullying, abuse, and heartbreak, as the audience is led
through the play from an outsider’s perspective.
Although the story mainly centers around Carrie, she is often in the presence of other
students or school faculty who help to drive the plot through either their interactions with Carrie
or with each other. The main characters are not only convincing high schoolers or faculty, but
the couples all seem to have real and deep connections between each other and the other
students. Even the student’s animosity towards Carrie doesn't seem forced. This helps to
humanize the characters and add to the verisimilitude of what would otherwise be a fantastical
show.
The cast also had beautiful and clear voices that really supported the main action and
plot of the play. Two voices that particularly stood out to me belong to Carrie and her mom.
Carrie’s mother did an amazing job of making those musical numbers truly haunting through
action, expression, and the attention she paid to pitch and tone. I truly felt that she was old
enough to be a mother without having to suspend my disbelief. Carrie, especially in her solos,
had a crisp vocal quality which felt appropriate for a highschool student.
Something else that stood out to me about this production was the set design. I think
there were a number of really smart decisions the director made in that regard. Several different
locations were clearly denoted requiring minimal changes to the layout. The pieces that made
up the prayer room and the school lockers worked particularly well by allowing for these multiple
designated spaces without causing enough down time to lose the momentum of the show. The
windows that covered the stained-glass murals was an especially nice touch, as it added some
much-needed color to the set and separation of the school, the church, and Carrie’s house.
Drake University’s production of Carrie was well-received with applause after every
number and a standing ovation at the end. Throughout the show, the audience’s energy was
notably high and continued to build through the rising action and even into the climax of the play.
This script has a relatively short falling action and this helped to maintain the excitement well
into the resolution. The audience was still buzzing when it came time for the curtain call.
Carrie Review
By Tricia Carver-Horner
The story of Carrie White’s prom night has been a part of pop culture since the 1970’s, but Carrie the Musical is one of Broadway’s most famous flops. The original production opened on Broadway in 1988 and closed almost immediately. In 2012, the show was updated and revived into an Off-Broadway campy horror classic that has been thrilling audiences around the country ever since. In 2023, students from Drake University brought their production of Carrie to Des Moines, Iowa as an invited production for the Region 5 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.
After nearly 1,200 festival attendees took their seats, the curtain rose to reveal a set that would serve as every location in the show. Cracked walls, dilapidated windows, a table and chairs created a school, a home, and a prom. When the somber brown windows opened, there was beautiful stained glass behind them, depicting biblical figures that served as foreshadowing of the sinister events to come. The set gave the feeling of being in an abandoned church, which underscored the show’s religious themes in a subtle but impactful way.
Over the course of the performance, the set’s walls were filled with a dynamic cast of characters. The ensemble of Carrie was particularly notable, each actor made unique character choices that carried through the show and heightened the realism of the high school environment. There were no small parts in this performance, everyone had several noticeable moments. Interjections and interactions in the background were captivating, at times even drawing more attention than the main scene. Additionally, the choreography was well executed, every moment of the dances was well considered and achieved in unison without compromising the excellent vocal performances.
Another stand out role was Carrie’s mother, Margaret White. Chloe Fox delivered superb vocals as Margaret and her character work allowed her to be both incredibly flawed yet still have audience sympathy. Carrie’s dynamic with her mother was one of the strongest parts of the show. Despite the violence between them, it is evident that Margaret and Carrie do genuinely care for each other, they just don’t know how to do so in a healthy manner. Their relationship grows exponentially throughout the show and leaves a lot unanswered, but also gives a lot of emotional context for Carrie’s story.
Drake’s production of Carrie was first and foremost entertaining. The audience was enthusiastic and responsive, and this performance took full advantage of every comedic moment in the show. While Carrie the Musical probably won’t be back on Broadway anytime soon, it was definitely a must-see at KCACTF this year.
The story of Carrie White’s prom night has been a part of pop culture since the 1970’s, but Carrie the Musical is one of Broadway’s most famous flops. The original production opened on Broadway in 1988 and closed almost immediately. In 2012, the show was updated and revived into an Off-Broadway campy horror classic that has been thrilling audiences around the country ever since. In 2023, students from Drake University brought their production of Carrie to Des Moines, Iowa as an invited production for the Region 5 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.
After nearly 1,200 festival attendees took their seats, the curtain rose to reveal a set that would serve as every location in the show. Cracked walls, dilapidated windows, a table and chairs created a school, a home, and a prom. When the somber brown windows opened, there was beautiful stained glass behind them, depicting biblical figures that served as foreshadowing of the sinister events to come. The set gave the feeling of being in an abandoned church, which underscored the show’s religious themes in a subtle but impactful way.
Over the course of the performance, the set’s walls were filled with a dynamic cast of characters. The ensemble of Carrie was particularly notable, each actor made unique character choices that carried through the show and heightened the realism of the high school environment. There were no small parts in this performance, everyone had several noticeable moments. Interjections and interactions in the background were captivating, at times even drawing more attention than the main scene. Additionally, the choreography was well executed, every moment of the dances was well considered and achieved in unison without compromising the excellent vocal performances.
Another stand out role was Carrie’s mother, Margaret White. Chloe Fox delivered superb vocals as Margaret and her character work allowed her to be both incredibly flawed yet still have audience sympathy. Carrie’s dynamic with her mother was one of the strongest parts of the show. Despite the violence between them, it is evident that Margaret and Carrie do genuinely care for each other, they just don’t know how to do so in a healthy manner. Their relationship grows exponentially throughout the show and leaves a lot unanswered, but also gives a lot of emotional context for Carrie’s story.
Drake’s production of Carrie was first and foremost entertaining. The audience was enthusiastic and responsive, and this performance took full advantage of every comedic moment in the show. While Carrie the Musical probably won’t be back on Broadway anytime soon, it was definitely a must-see at KCACTF this year.
Life is a Dream Review
By Adelaide Kuehn
A visibly despondent man kneels in front of a harsh stone wall, covered in tattered clothing.
Before even speaking, the anguish and longing are clear on his face as he looks to the sky, arms
chained and outstretched. He has been a prisoner in his tower from birth, and as he laments his
oppression, the actor’s voice fills the stage with ringing energy and passion.
Such an emotional and striking scene was common in Northwestern College’s production of
“Life is a Dream,” performed Jan. 23rd on the opening night of KCACTF Region 5. Directed by
Robert Hubbard, the interpretation of Calderon’s classic play was inspirational, with intimate
staging and energetic dialogue.
While Segismundo the prince (played by Jack MacGregor) explained his unjust imprisonment
atop a descending platform reaching to embrace the audience, MacGregor masterfully
commanded the space with his character’s compelling and emotional voice. Throughout the
production, it was clear he had a connection to the work, providing a script written in 1635 with
authentic tone shifts and new life.
Much of the cast followed suit–the principal performers connected vigorously with a
challenging classical text. They gave the dialogue an original level of emotional significance.
Segismundo’s lifelong imprisonment was due to his fate: he was prophesied to kill his mother
and take control of her kingdom. Eventually, the queen decided to release him and determine if
he was fit to overcome the prophecy and be released from the tower.
Cast members were scattered among different levels of the stage, the dialogue was flurried and
urgent, and tensions escalated between characters as the prince was freed for the first time.
The staging of the scene after the prince’s release created intricate relationships between
characters, setting the tone for Hubbard’s revealing and provocative staging in the production.
After the prince wreaked havoc and killed one of his servants, his mother imprisoned him out of
fear once again. Act one ended with the prince back in his chamber, haunted by his experience,
the set menacingly towering over the cylindrical prison centerstage.
Intermission provided time to look at the set design (Ethan Koerner), which accurately mirrored
the ominous and powerful themes of fate in the show - all while providing various levels and
entrances with which Hubbard developed intricate staging.
Act 2 kicked off with the queen’s subjects rebelling against her to free the prince and start a war,
represented with projections and sound design (designed by Jett Skrien) that worked together
to add more sensory experience to the story.
The play ended with characters facing off on either side of the stage, projection animations
playing fancifully on the back of the set, and the characters passionately forgiving one another.
It was a perfect example of how the director’s staging, the actors’ performance, and the design
elements unified to create energy and connection between characters. The resulting intimacy
was inspiring, begging the question: how could our relationships be improved if we mirrored
what we saw onstage?
A visibly despondent man kneels in front of a harsh stone wall, covered in tattered clothing.
Before even speaking, the anguish and longing are clear on his face as he looks to the sky, arms
chained and outstretched. He has been a prisoner in his tower from birth, and as he laments his
oppression, the actor’s voice fills the stage with ringing energy and passion.
Such an emotional and striking scene was common in Northwestern College’s production of
“Life is a Dream,” performed Jan. 23rd on the opening night of KCACTF Region 5. Directed by
Robert Hubbard, the interpretation of Calderon’s classic play was inspirational, with intimate
staging and energetic dialogue.
While Segismundo the prince (played by Jack MacGregor) explained his unjust imprisonment
atop a descending platform reaching to embrace the audience, MacGregor masterfully
commanded the space with his character’s compelling and emotional voice. Throughout the
production, it was clear he had a connection to the work, providing a script written in 1635 with
authentic tone shifts and new life.
Much of the cast followed suit–the principal performers connected vigorously with a
challenging classical text. They gave the dialogue an original level of emotional significance.
Segismundo’s lifelong imprisonment was due to his fate: he was prophesied to kill his mother
and take control of her kingdom. Eventually, the queen decided to release him and determine if
he was fit to overcome the prophecy and be released from the tower.
Cast members were scattered among different levels of the stage, the dialogue was flurried and
urgent, and tensions escalated between characters as the prince was freed for the first time.
The staging of the scene after the prince’s release created intricate relationships between
characters, setting the tone for Hubbard’s revealing and provocative staging in the production.
After the prince wreaked havoc and killed one of his servants, his mother imprisoned him out of
fear once again. Act one ended with the prince back in his chamber, haunted by his experience,
the set menacingly towering over the cylindrical prison centerstage.
Intermission provided time to look at the set design (Ethan Koerner), which accurately mirrored
the ominous and powerful themes of fate in the show - all while providing various levels and
entrances with which Hubbard developed intricate staging.
Act 2 kicked off with the queen’s subjects rebelling against her to free the prince and start a war,
represented with projections and sound design (designed by Jett Skrien) that worked together
to add more sensory experience to the story.
The play ended with characters facing off on either side of the stage, projection animations
playing fancifully on the back of the set, and the characters passionately forgiving one another.
It was a perfect example of how the director’s staging, the actors’ performance, and the design
elements unified to create energy and connection between characters. The resulting intimacy
was inspiring, begging the question: how could our relationships be improved if we mirrored
what we saw onstage?
Life is a Dream Review
By Dani Major
True to its genre of a “comedia”, Northwestern College brought the audience to both tears of laughter and sorrow during their production of Pedro Calderón’s play, written in 1635, Life is a Dream Monday evening. A story of destiny, fate, love and family, the show follows the fictional Polish prince Segismundo (Jack MacGregor) in his struggle to prove that he can overcome his prophesied destiny to bring death and destruction to his kingdom. After being locked away and treated like a criminal his entire life, he is incapacitated and brought to the palace and told his true identity, while all wait to see if he will react with compassion, or violent anger as the oracle foretold. If he reacts poorly, he is sent back to the dungeon to rot and made to believe that his life of leisure was all but a dream.
MacGregor was able to bring great volumes of emotion to the character, always capitalizing on showing the differences between his inner monologues and his interactions with other characters to show how solitude can warp a person’s humanity. What was especially impressive was his ability to maintain this volatile character consistently through the entirety of the show, including the 15-minute intermission, where he was disturbingly left on stage in his prison cell for audience members to view continuously.
The production featured many alterations of the original text that aided the delivery of the script. Originally written and performed in Spanish, Northwestern College performed the work in English. This made the show extremely accessible for the midwestern audience of KCACTF region 5 participants, as actors were able to use natural inflections and comedic timing that gleaned audibly enthusiastic results from audience members through every turn of the show.
The original script also presents Segismundo’s father, King Basilio, as his captor and antagonist. Instead, this production featured a gender-bent Queen Basilia, changing the chemistry and emotional characterization between Segismundo and his parental figure. Their combined scenes were filled with moments of both tender affection and seismic pressure in a way only a son and mother duo could portray.
In the numerous physically combative moments, actors boldly executed their fights, embraces, and comedic antics. As the audience was extremely reactive with laughter, verbal outbursts and gasping, actors could have done better to pause between moments such as these, as some lines were lost to the ether of noise that ensued after each scene. The most effective commanders of comedy in this manner were Clotaldo (Joel Moore) and Clarion (Liam Nibbelink), lead prison guard and teacher of Segismundo and witty sidekick to the passionate Rosura respectively. Both actors masterfully balanced pauses and applause during their time on stage.
The crowd certainly does not lie in terms of a production’s nightly success, and without a doubt Northwestern College’s production of Life is a Dream won the hearts of the audience members. Through trials, betrayals, fights and friendships, this production showed how reviving old writing can bring new perspectives to modern audiences with the proper attention to detail.
True to its genre of a “comedia”, Northwestern College brought the audience to both tears of laughter and sorrow during their production of Pedro Calderón’s play, written in 1635, Life is a Dream Monday evening. A story of destiny, fate, love and family, the show follows the fictional Polish prince Segismundo (Jack MacGregor) in his struggle to prove that he can overcome his prophesied destiny to bring death and destruction to his kingdom. After being locked away and treated like a criminal his entire life, he is incapacitated and brought to the palace and told his true identity, while all wait to see if he will react with compassion, or violent anger as the oracle foretold. If he reacts poorly, he is sent back to the dungeon to rot and made to believe that his life of leisure was all but a dream.
MacGregor was able to bring great volumes of emotion to the character, always capitalizing on showing the differences between his inner monologues and his interactions with other characters to show how solitude can warp a person’s humanity. What was especially impressive was his ability to maintain this volatile character consistently through the entirety of the show, including the 15-minute intermission, where he was disturbingly left on stage in his prison cell for audience members to view continuously.
The production featured many alterations of the original text that aided the delivery of the script. Originally written and performed in Spanish, Northwestern College performed the work in English. This made the show extremely accessible for the midwestern audience of KCACTF region 5 participants, as actors were able to use natural inflections and comedic timing that gleaned audibly enthusiastic results from audience members through every turn of the show.
The original script also presents Segismundo’s father, King Basilio, as his captor and antagonist. Instead, this production featured a gender-bent Queen Basilia, changing the chemistry and emotional characterization between Segismundo and his parental figure. Their combined scenes were filled with moments of both tender affection and seismic pressure in a way only a son and mother duo could portray.
In the numerous physically combative moments, actors boldly executed their fights, embraces, and comedic antics. As the audience was extremely reactive with laughter, verbal outbursts and gasping, actors could have done better to pause between moments such as these, as some lines were lost to the ether of noise that ensued after each scene. The most effective commanders of comedy in this manner were Clotaldo (Joel Moore) and Clarion (Liam Nibbelink), lead prison guard and teacher of Segismundo and witty sidekick to the passionate Rosura respectively. Both actors masterfully balanced pauses and applause during their time on stage.
The crowd certainly does not lie in terms of a production’s nightly success, and without a doubt Northwestern College’s production of Life is a Dream won the hearts of the audience members. Through trials, betrayals, fights and friendships, this production showed how reviving old writing can bring new perspectives to modern audiences with the proper attention to detail.
Stupid F##king Bird Review
Produced by the University of Minnesota Duluth and directed by Lauren Roth Stupid
F##king Bird by Aaron Posner, which is “sort-of-adapted” from Chekhov’s The Seagull, brings
together an ensemble cast, several tragic love stories, and a question many ask themselves at
some point in our lives, “why?”
Dev (Cody Do) loves Mash (Irie Unity), Mash loves Conrad (Hunter Ramsden), Conrad
loves Nina (Isabelle Hopewell), Nina is infatuated with the famous author Trigorin (Luke
Pfuger.) Con’s mother, Emma (Maddie Froehle,) an actress used to the spotlight, is shacking up
with Trig, who loves what’s in front of him, whomever that happens to be. And Emma’s brother,
Sorn (Jack Senske) just wants to be loved.
What sets this play apart from others, and from The Seagull is that the characters know
they are in a play. And when they monologue, it is often straight to the audience asking advice
from them on this journey of heartache. When a play starts off with, “The play will begin when
someone says: "Start the fucking play," you have no idea what to expect from the experience;
and neither do the performers, they must be part actor, part crowd-working comedian, and park
improv troupe. The audience, for the most part, enjoyed the experience, but they did get out of
hand during a scene-change when their “handlers” were not on stage to corral them. But the
performers commanded the attention as soon as they were back on stage.
Conrad, upon coming to the conclusion that he has lost his soul mate to his mother’s
lover, makes an attempt on his own life at the end of the first act, which prompts the second act’s
search for meaning. During which, the part of the show that spoke directly to me, Dr. Sorn stares
into an unseen mirror directly out into the audience amid the midst of his mundane morning
routine and asks himself, “Why go on? Why walk out the door and into the day and do... all the
things I do. And you know why I do it? … Nor do I…” And as he stared out into that mirror, I
was sitting directly on the other side, as if I were the reflection of himself and he was asking me
personally why do we go on. And in that moment, I too was staring into that same mirror, asking
myself questions I have asked myself before, not sure if I was the reflection or the one brushing
their teeth.
The final two acts see the characters trying to answer that question in their lives; bringing
laughs and tears to audience members throughout. As people left, I noticed a quietness over
some, others were revisiting the highlights with friends, a few couples left finding comfort in
each other’s arms. A wonderful production that didn’t leave me wondering why they were
invited to KCACTF55, but encouraged me to appreciate the whys in my life and hopefully to the
several hundred others who experienced Stupid F##kin Bird.
F##king Bird by Aaron Posner, which is “sort-of-adapted” from Chekhov’s The Seagull, brings
together an ensemble cast, several tragic love stories, and a question many ask themselves at
some point in our lives, “why?”
Dev (Cody Do) loves Mash (Irie Unity), Mash loves Conrad (Hunter Ramsden), Conrad
loves Nina (Isabelle Hopewell), Nina is infatuated with the famous author Trigorin (Luke
Pfuger.) Con’s mother, Emma (Maddie Froehle,) an actress used to the spotlight, is shacking up
with Trig, who loves what’s in front of him, whomever that happens to be. And Emma’s brother,
Sorn (Jack Senske) just wants to be loved.
What sets this play apart from others, and from The Seagull is that the characters know
they are in a play. And when they monologue, it is often straight to the audience asking advice
from them on this journey of heartache. When a play starts off with, “The play will begin when
someone says: "Start the fucking play," you have no idea what to expect from the experience;
and neither do the performers, they must be part actor, part crowd-working comedian, and park
improv troupe. The audience, for the most part, enjoyed the experience, but they did get out of
hand during a scene-change when their “handlers” were not on stage to corral them. But the
performers commanded the attention as soon as they were back on stage.
Conrad, upon coming to the conclusion that he has lost his soul mate to his mother’s
lover, makes an attempt on his own life at the end of the first act, which prompts the second act’s
search for meaning. During which, the part of the show that spoke directly to me, Dr. Sorn stares
into an unseen mirror directly out into the audience amid the midst of his mundane morning
routine and asks himself, “Why go on? Why walk out the door and into the day and do... all the
things I do. And you know why I do it? … Nor do I…” And as he stared out into that mirror, I
was sitting directly on the other side, as if I were the reflection of himself and he was asking me
personally why do we go on. And in that moment, I too was staring into that same mirror, asking
myself questions I have asked myself before, not sure if I was the reflection or the one brushing
their teeth.
The final two acts see the characters trying to answer that question in their lives; bringing
laughs and tears to audience members throughout. As people left, I noticed a quietness over
some, others were revisiting the highlights with friends, a few couples left finding comfort in
each other’s arms. A wonderful production that didn’t leave me wondering why they were
invited to KCACTF55, but encouraged me to appreciate the whys in my life and hopefully to the
several hundred others who experienced Stupid F##kin Bird.
God of Carnage Review
By Austin Cecil
In one of the most intimate forms of performance venues known to theater, The God of Carnage took to the black box studio of Stoner Theater. Yasmina Reza, a French playwright, novelist, and screenwriter first published this piece in 2008. In essence, her story follows the interaction of two sets of parents attempting to civilly understand physical altercation between their sons. However, the longer they work together to solve their problem, the more visceral their discourse grows. In mere moments, their diplomacy with one another shifts from a polite formality into a pipe dream as bottles are thrown, bile is spewn, and words make like forked prongs.
Produced by Emporia State University, my compliments go out to the guidance of director Jim Harris. It is no small feat to influence a student's grasp on the art of subtly. My eyes were drawn to the onstage chemistry of opposites that these students portrayed. Where one spouse diverged from a point of view, another would just as eagerly take up a fighting opinion. This is the nature of the script, but to demonstrate a human understanding of such complexity while before 200 audience members is no small achievement.
Harris’ staging of the play included two open backed sitting options which opened the area up to the full house watching. His use of triangular staging when it came to the actors complimented the space nicely. It allowed for something that most actors would find most uncomfortable, that is turning your back on the audience. However, much like a game of chess, the actors were able to move around and around their set, crossing in front of one another freely and naturally. This I believe fed into the human nature what so carefully attracted me to this performance.
The use of lighting was also carefully done, so as to keep the warm wash of light fixated on the seated spaces, while also not casting shadows when an actor leaned over to another. Even when the character Annette is almost inches away from the front row, her face is perfectly illuminated. The lights themselves did not only face from the center house, but instead were arranged to angle down from stage left and right as well, a technique that I would love to see again.
This execution of what I can only assume is the kind of show that leaves actors wanting to forever dive deeper, as there are many layers to be explored, has left a warm impression. A great choice for advanced performers to push themselves to new limits.
In one of the most intimate forms of performance venues known to theater, The God of Carnage took to the black box studio of Stoner Theater. Yasmina Reza, a French playwright, novelist, and screenwriter first published this piece in 2008. In essence, her story follows the interaction of two sets of parents attempting to civilly understand physical altercation between their sons. However, the longer they work together to solve their problem, the more visceral their discourse grows. In mere moments, their diplomacy with one another shifts from a polite formality into a pipe dream as bottles are thrown, bile is spewn, and words make like forked prongs.
Produced by Emporia State University, my compliments go out to the guidance of director Jim Harris. It is no small feat to influence a student's grasp on the art of subtly. My eyes were drawn to the onstage chemistry of opposites that these students portrayed. Where one spouse diverged from a point of view, another would just as eagerly take up a fighting opinion. This is the nature of the script, but to demonstrate a human understanding of such complexity while before 200 audience members is no small achievement.
Harris’ staging of the play included two open backed sitting options which opened the area up to the full house watching. His use of triangular staging when it came to the actors complimented the space nicely. It allowed for something that most actors would find most uncomfortable, that is turning your back on the audience. However, much like a game of chess, the actors were able to move around and around their set, crossing in front of one another freely and naturally. This I believe fed into the human nature what so carefully attracted me to this performance.
The use of lighting was also carefully done, so as to keep the warm wash of light fixated on the seated spaces, while also not casting shadows when an actor leaned over to another. Even when the character Annette is almost inches away from the front row, her face is perfectly illuminated. The lights themselves did not only face from the center house, but instead were arranged to angle down from stage left and right as well, a technique that I would love to see again.
This execution of what I can only assume is the kind of show that leaves actors wanting to forever dive deeper, as there are many layers to be explored, has left a warm impression. A great choice for advanced performers to push themselves to new limits.
God of Carnage Review
By Soap Adair
This week I had the privilege of viewing Emporia State University's production of God of
Carnage by Yasmina Reza at the Stoner Theatre in Des Moines, Iowa. Directed by Jim Harris,
and starring Eddie Lee as Michael Novak, Kara Mitchell as Veronica Novak, Rachel Shaffer as
Annette Raleigh, and Lewis Trotter as Alan Raleigh, this play is a hilarious depiction of four
adults' descent into pure, unbridled chaos brought on by uniquely human desires.
In this play, Veronica and Michael Novak invite Annette and Alan Raleigh to have a discussion
about a fight between their kids, which resulted in two broken teeth. Tensions are high between
these two couples as they discuss the incident. As time goes on, each character slowly loses
their polite and mature persona, revealing animalistic rage and childish attitudes. This dark
comedy will have you snickering to yourself as each character reveals their fickle nature.
Each character had their own unique personality. Veronica was hilariously snarky and
judgemental in the perfect middle-class mom sort of way. Annette’s anxiety and hesitation were
palpable to everybody in the audience. Michael’s cluelessness was a welcomed respite from the
tension between Alan and literally every other person in the room. Each character had a
well-defined personality that remained consistent throughout the duration of the show, and the
actors’ hard work can be observed in the small details of each character’s depiction. Shaffer
was able to show Annette’s nervousness with certain self-soothing movements, such as rocking
back and forth and gently rubbing her hand with her thumb. Alan’s irreverent attitude towards
this meeting was well depicted by Trotter by the way he freely paced around in somebody else's
house while on the phone, even going as far as to use one of the Novak’s books to write down
some important information from his phone call. The way Lee spoke so openly and confidently
about anything, despite his word’s tendency to make things awkward, really helped demonstrate
Michael’s social cluelessness. Veronica’s judgmental undertones were communicated by the
way Mitchell drug out certain words with a hesitant smile.
As this play is written, Annette and Alan are meant to be depicted as a higher socio-economic
class than Veronica and Michael are. As it stands, that did not come across in this production of
the play. Annette’s attire was not so different from Veronica’s in the sense that they both seemed
to be average outfits for average people. Alan was dressed in a suit but it did not come across
as ‘upper class’ more so than ‘he is a lawyer’. It’s a similar situation personality-wise. Alan’s
personality did resemble that of an upper-class father and had Annette’s character been played
to be more obviously upper-class, this difference in class between the two couples would have
come through. I believe that, had Annette been dressed in more obviously upper-class clothes,
this distinction between the two couples would have been more obvious. Despite this, the
costumes did appear to suit each character's personality. Annette’s timid nature was reflected by
muted colors, whereas Veronica and Michael’s more easy-going, liberal nature was reflected by
their business casual attire.
All in all, I believe this play was worth a watch. This show is a hilariously shocking insight into
what happens when you give into your subconscious desires for chaos.
This week I had the privilege of viewing Emporia State University's production of God of
Carnage by Yasmina Reza at the Stoner Theatre in Des Moines, Iowa. Directed by Jim Harris,
and starring Eddie Lee as Michael Novak, Kara Mitchell as Veronica Novak, Rachel Shaffer as
Annette Raleigh, and Lewis Trotter as Alan Raleigh, this play is a hilarious depiction of four
adults' descent into pure, unbridled chaos brought on by uniquely human desires.
In this play, Veronica and Michael Novak invite Annette and Alan Raleigh to have a discussion
about a fight between their kids, which resulted in two broken teeth. Tensions are high between
these two couples as they discuss the incident. As time goes on, each character slowly loses
their polite and mature persona, revealing animalistic rage and childish attitudes. This dark
comedy will have you snickering to yourself as each character reveals their fickle nature.
Each character had their own unique personality. Veronica was hilariously snarky and
judgemental in the perfect middle-class mom sort of way. Annette’s anxiety and hesitation were
palpable to everybody in the audience. Michael’s cluelessness was a welcomed respite from the
tension between Alan and literally every other person in the room. Each character had a
well-defined personality that remained consistent throughout the duration of the show, and the
actors’ hard work can be observed in the small details of each character’s depiction. Shaffer
was able to show Annette’s nervousness with certain self-soothing movements, such as rocking
back and forth and gently rubbing her hand with her thumb. Alan’s irreverent attitude towards
this meeting was well depicted by Trotter by the way he freely paced around in somebody else's
house while on the phone, even going as far as to use one of the Novak’s books to write down
some important information from his phone call. The way Lee spoke so openly and confidently
about anything, despite his word’s tendency to make things awkward, really helped demonstrate
Michael’s social cluelessness. Veronica’s judgmental undertones were communicated by the
way Mitchell drug out certain words with a hesitant smile.
As this play is written, Annette and Alan are meant to be depicted as a higher socio-economic
class than Veronica and Michael are. As it stands, that did not come across in this production of
the play. Annette’s attire was not so different from Veronica’s in the sense that they both seemed
to be average outfits for average people. Alan was dressed in a suit but it did not come across
as ‘upper class’ more so than ‘he is a lawyer’. It’s a similar situation personality-wise. Alan’s
personality did resemble that of an upper-class father and had Annette’s character been played
to be more obviously upper-class, this difference in class between the two couples would have
come through. I believe that, had Annette been dressed in more obviously upper-class clothes,
this distinction between the two couples would have been more obvious. Despite this, the
costumes did appear to suit each character's personality. Annette’s timid nature was reflected by
muted colors, whereas Veronica and Michael’s more easy-going, liberal nature was reflected by
their business casual attire.
All in all, I believe this play was worth a watch. This show is a hilariously shocking insight into
what happens when you give into your subconscious desires for chaos.
Photos from SDC Finals
Photos from Long-Form Improv Performance
An Iliad Review
Photo Courtesy of LUCAS GRANHOLM
The Poet (Roy Schultz) raises his hands as he portrays the death of Patroclus.
Face of "An Illiad" launches theatre celebrations in downtown Des Moines
By MITCHELL LIERMAN
An Illiad" officially kicked off the 55th Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival's invited productions in Des Moines Monday morning, reigniting a tradition of oral storytelling with its stunning one-man performance by Ray Schultz.
In University of Minnesota Morris's powerful new take on Homer's Trojan War epic, Schultz highlights the timeless power that stories can hold.
"Every time I sing this song, I hope it's the last time," says Schultz, in character as a timeless Poet retelling the Trojan War.
Set simply by a table and two chairs placed asymmetrically on a raised stage, the symmetric lighting and wide cast shadows accentuate the vocal performance with stunning visuals provided by Lucas Granholm.
Physically, Schultz reaches each character in exquisite detail through his mastery over his costume and position on stage. Through the Poet's actions, the red spirits of a funeral dawn flit through fingers, the broken will of Andromache falls by the drape of a scarf, and the splendor of Achilles leaps from the shadows.
The minutiae of the props and costume pieces provided to the Poet provide keys into Homer's world: a wooden spoon holds the full arrogance of Agememnon as his scepter, a broom handle becomes a metaphor for life as walking stick and spear, and a fedora at once represents the love of a father and the inevitability of war.
The cycle of revenge at the core of the Illiad springs to life from the lurid gore of Patroclus's attack on Troy to the visceral depth of Hector's encounter with Achilles. But beyond the raging moments of battle, the story breathes with life as a soundscape of crashing waves and lamenting Greek instruments fill the quiet and vulnerable spaces left all too often unsung.
Sound effects join the Poet's voice only when needed most, driving the story on at crucial moments of gravity and crashing into the air at brutal moments of human weakness.
Of the nearly 20 characters Schultz's Poet portrays, he seems most at home in the mourning King Priam as he parlays for the body of Prince Hector. Schultz's distinctive characterizations perfectly contrast the devastated king with the emotionally drained Achilles, filling these legends with a depth that they sometimes lose in the written medium.
Schultz's Poet draws on all of the Greek theories of oratory to bring this script to life as a convincing oral relic, preserved through the endless passage of time. In a final desperate bid to drive his point home, the Poet recounts centuries of wars from memory and reaches the brink of exhaustion before hissing out "the Russian Invasion of Ukraine."
Little doubt is left to the anti-war message to be taken from "An Illiad." Yet as the Poet rasps through some of the worst human conflicts of history, the same unheeded lessons of countless wars file into view.
But though "An Illiad" can never provide a final plea for peace, it remains unflinching in its hope to continue to try.
The Poet (Roy Schultz) raises his hands as he portrays the death of Patroclus.
Face of "An Illiad" launches theatre celebrations in downtown Des Moines
By MITCHELL LIERMAN
An Illiad" officially kicked off the 55th Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival's invited productions in Des Moines Monday morning, reigniting a tradition of oral storytelling with its stunning one-man performance by Ray Schultz.
In University of Minnesota Morris's powerful new take on Homer's Trojan War epic, Schultz highlights the timeless power that stories can hold.
"Every time I sing this song, I hope it's the last time," says Schultz, in character as a timeless Poet retelling the Trojan War.
Set simply by a table and two chairs placed asymmetrically on a raised stage, the symmetric lighting and wide cast shadows accentuate the vocal performance with stunning visuals provided by Lucas Granholm.
Physically, Schultz reaches each character in exquisite detail through his mastery over his costume and position on stage. Through the Poet's actions, the red spirits of a funeral dawn flit through fingers, the broken will of Andromache falls by the drape of a scarf, and the splendor of Achilles leaps from the shadows.
The minutiae of the props and costume pieces provided to the Poet provide keys into Homer's world: a wooden spoon holds the full arrogance of Agememnon as his scepter, a broom handle becomes a metaphor for life as walking stick and spear, and a fedora at once represents the love of a father and the inevitability of war.
The cycle of revenge at the core of the Illiad springs to life from the lurid gore of Patroclus's attack on Troy to the visceral depth of Hector's encounter with Achilles. But beyond the raging moments of battle, the story breathes with life as a soundscape of crashing waves and lamenting Greek instruments fill the quiet and vulnerable spaces left all too often unsung.
Sound effects join the Poet's voice only when needed most, driving the story on at crucial moments of gravity and crashing into the air at brutal moments of human weakness.
Of the nearly 20 characters Schultz's Poet portrays, he seems most at home in the mourning King Priam as he parlays for the body of Prince Hector. Schultz's distinctive characterizations perfectly contrast the devastated king with the emotionally drained Achilles, filling these legends with a depth that they sometimes lose in the written medium.
Schultz's Poet draws on all of the Greek theories of oratory to bring this script to life as a convincing oral relic, preserved through the endless passage of time. In a final desperate bid to drive his point home, the Poet recounts centuries of wars from memory and reaches the brink of exhaustion before hissing out "the Russian Invasion of Ukraine."
Little doubt is left to the anti-war message to be taken from "An Illiad." Yet as the Poet rasps through some of the worst human conflicts of history, the same unheeded lessons of countless wars file into view.
But though "An Illiad" can never provide a final plea for peace, it remains unflinching in its hope to continue to try.
Life is a Dream Review
Photo Courtesy of ROBERT HUBBARD
Segismundo (Jack MacGregor) stands bound in his mountainside prison after waking from a dream.
"Life is a Dream" weaves transcendent humor to connect past to present
By MITCHELL LIERMAN
mitchelllierman@gmail.com
With it's oldest translations now firmly in the public domain, "Life is a Dream" provides a sandbox for updating this psychological succession classic for today's brutal attention economy.
Northwestern College's production under the direction of Robert Hubbard] capitalizes on this freedom to infuse a layer of humorous anachronisms – which astute audience members might use to predict the show's white-out denouement.
From the rubber chicken used to tase Segismundo to Astolfo's laser-pointed genealogy thrown across the set's protection spaces to the subtle chorus of Bungee Studio's Halo theme underscoring Clarion's microcosmically ironic death, the production winks to today's memetic culture without skipping a beat.
Projections weave the connective tissue between past and present as well as fact and fiction throughout Northwestern College's rendition, carrying the audience ever deeper into the onslaught of well-handled multipage monologues found within Calderón text.
By intermission, the beguiled prince stands adrift in a sea of animations that pair flickering iconography with swirling constellational projections. Marrying the potential of contemporary multimedia to the traditional world of this classic brings the experience to the brink of breaking free from itself: the doubled imaginations of the production's creative team in our world and Segismundo in his offer an atmosphere which invites the audience to ponder the truths found in our virtual experiences even as Segismundo struggles to himself.
In this moment, Northwestern College's "Life is a Dream" pierces the veil.
Across time and space, Segismundo's anguish on reawakening in his cell brings to mind a moment now familiar to many of us: as we reentered our "normal" world after the last few years, we found it not so different from the adjustment we thought we were leaving behind.
With so much of life having merged with digitized virtual experiences during the pandemic, our attention spans, perceptions and even our very definitions of reality have radically shifted. Even now, it sometimes seems we may wake at any moment to find the teleconferences, lockdowns, and social deprivations of the past three years fading like a bad dream.
Like the monarch in "Life is a Dream," we must accept the reality we have tried to avoid. The losses we have experienced since the pandemic continue to weigh heavy on us as we inch closer toward the quarter mark of the 21st century.
Despite the digital avatars, gleaming screens, and electric lights separating us from Calderón, the themes of misinterpreted fate and virtual experience present in "Life is a Dream" find themselves perfectly at home in our online era of blink-and-you'll-miss-it change.
The stage is moving with us. Now more than ever, reflecting on the past provides us with the inspiration to innovate for a better future. As Northwestern College has shown us, classic and public domain works like "Life is a Dream" can put us well on that path.
Segismundo (Jack MacGregor) stands bound in his mountainside prison after waking from a dream.
"Life is a Dream" weaves transcendent humor to connect past to present
By MITCHELL LIERMAN
mitchelllierman@gmail.com
With it's oldest translations now firmly in the public domain, "Life is a Dream" provides a sandbox for updating this psychological succession classic for today's brutal attention economy.
Northwestern College's production under the direction of Robert Hubbard] capitalizes on this freedom to infuse a layer of humorous anachronisms – which astute audience members might use to predict the show's white-out denouement.
From the rubber chicken used to tase Segismundo to Astolfo's laser-pointed genealogy thrown across the set's protection spaces to the subtle chorus of Bungee Studio's Halo theme underscoring Clarion's microcosmically ironic death, the production winks to today's memetic culture without skipping a beat.
Projections weave the connective tissue between past and present as well as fact and fiction throughout Northwestern College's rendition, carrying the audience ever deeper into the onslaught of well-handled multipage monologues found within Calderón text.
By intermission, the beguiled prince stands adrift in a sea of animations that pair flickering iconography with swirling constellational projections. Marrying the potential of contemporary multimedia to the traditional world of this classic brings the experience to the brink of breaking free from itself: the doubled imaginations of the production's creative team in our world and Segismundo in his offer an atmosphere which invites the audience to ponder the truths found in our virtual experiences even as Segismundo struggles to himself.
In this moment, Northwestern College's "Life is a Dream" pierces the veil.
Across time and space, Segismundo's anguish on reawakening in his cell brings to mind a moment now familiar to many of us: as we reentered our "normal" world after the last few years, we found it not so different from the adjustment we thought we were leaving behind.
With so much of life having merged with digitized virtual experiences during the pandemic, our attention spans, perceptions and even our very definitions of reality have radically shifted. Even now, it sometimes seems we may wake at any moment to find the teleconferences, lockdowns, and social deprivations of the past three years fading like a bad dream.
Like the monarch in "Life is a Dream," we must accept the reality we have tried to avoid. The losses we have experienced since the pandemic continue to weigh heavy on us as we inch closer toward the quarter mark of the 21st century.
Despite the digital avatars, gleaming screens, and electric lights separating us from Calderón, the themes of misinterpreted fate and virtual experience present in "Life is a Dream" find themselves perfectly at home in our online era of blink-and-you'll-miss-it change.
The stage is moving with us. Now more than ever, reflecting on the past provides us with the inspiration to innovate for a better future. As Northwestern College has shown us, classic and public domain works like "Life is a Dream" can put us well on that path.