student artists

School of Theater’s 'The Originals!' introduces student works to the campus community

Colleen Rich — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 20:39:11 +0000

School of Theater’s 'The Originals!' introduces student works to the campus community Colleen Rich Mon, 10/17/2022 - 16:39

"The Originals!" six plays were performed at Theatrespace in September and recorded for watching online on Mason Arts at Home. Photo by Shayla Brown/Strategic Communications

The Originals! is an annual production within ��AV’s School of Theater that showcases the writing, acting, and directing skills of the creative students of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. This year six amazing plays were put on in de Laski Performing Arts Building TheaterSpace. Read all about them here:

“Merry, Bright, etc.”

Written by Zoe Harr and directed by Erin Birchfield

In this play excerpt, a young man named Ben struggles to connect with a girl he likes, who works as an elf in same mall that he does. She is only known as “The Hot Elf” and has no idea that Ben exists.

“Ben is my definition of a loser,” said Harr, who wanted to explore the concept of an unlikeable protagonists. “Someone who, as an audience member, you’re kind of stuck with. Someone who you root for him in the play, but wouldn’t be friends with in real life.”

Ben lives with his friend, Lisa, who acts as a driving force that helps him step outside himself. Throughout this scene, Ben is trying to break out of this mold of being this guy who can’t even talk to a girl he likes, but constantly puts his foot in his mouth.

“I don’t think he necessarily succeeds in the sense that he gets exactly what he wants,” said Harr, “but he succeeds in the sense that he is actually able to make a connection.”

Will he get the hot elf’s name? And do you need to achieve a goal completely in order to win?

“The Great American Class Interactive Experience (GACIE)”

Written by Sarah Strunk and directed by Caroline Austin

The concept of GACIE came to Strunk as she scrolled through Tik Tok, she said. There were interesting nuances within the relationship of a couple who came from completely different backgrounds. Young couple, Christian and Gwen, participate in an interactive experience. The game is filled with tension as the couple step into new territory and are exposed to their different upbringings, as well as comic relief in the form of Nella Hautala’s performance as the Elevator/ticket seller/game master.

“Seven Years’ Time”

Written by Dyllan Hutchison and directed by Jeremy Pritchard

“Seven Years’ Time” is a story about a girl named Lucy who turns 20 and finds a letter from seven years ago. She calls her own phone number, and when her 13-year-old self answers, the conversation that follows is inspiring. Hutchinson’s take on society’s fear of growing older as well as self-love and confidence takes place in this sentimental yet entertaining phone call between 13-year-old Lucy and 20-year-old Lucy.

“It was a lot self-reflection and trying to figure out who I used to be, who I am, and who I want to be in this new stage of my life,” said Hutchinson. “It was a really special experience for me.”

The characters are also surrounded by different versions of Lucy’s mom and dad, also seven years apart. Reflection on the past is something that connects the audience to the performance.

“Robin’s Therapy”

Written by Brett Womack, directed by Annie Graninger and musical direction by Brett Womack

The only musical in the bunch, “Robin’s Therapy” tells the story of Robin’s journey going to see Dr. Prue Warwick every day. With Womack on the piano as the story unfolds, Robin and her therapist take us for a ride.

The musical element helps these characters to convey their thoughts and feelings toward the concept of therapy and whether it’s really effective. This conversation in song touches on so many questions about mental health and who to reach out to for help.

“This character is doing their best to committing to their resolution to improve their mental health even though they don’t necessarily know why they should and what they should do to get there,” said Womack.

The fear and hesitation a lot of individuals feel toward the idea of therapy is represented in a lyrical way that captures the audience and makes them think even after the story has ended.

“I Shouldn’t Have Stuffed My Muffin with Jelly”

Written by Trevor Handlin and directed by Jo Arnett

There was a lot going on with this piece. It was unclear which way to look as characters interacted with one another. Some were strangers, and some were enemies. This play included shocking instances of murder and seemed to take place in an unknown apocalyptic setting.

It was funny, creepy, and bemusing. It had the most characters of any of the plays from “The Originals!” and everyone did their part. With the prize for most interesting name, “I Shouldn’t Have Stuffed My Muffin with Jelly” is one to see.

“Full Disclosure”

Written by Lillian Della Maggiora and directed by Shannon Rodgers

This story is about two women in a relationship that’s hit a rough patch. In the beginning, they are silent for much of the piece, portraying thoughts and emotions with their facial expressions in a way that was entertaining enough even without the dialogue the audience was likely expecting.

They walk around what is assumed to be a gallery of some kind, observing the art on the walls. When the conversation finally starts, it’s intriguing how genuine and beautiful it is. These women have an open and honest conversation. What’s more fascinating is that the story is not tied up with a neat little bow in the end. The ending is somewhat unexpected and unresolved.

If you missed these live performances, no worries! The School of Theater has released a video recording of all six plays. Check it out on Mason Arts at Home.

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Students

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Theater

student artists

Mason Arts at Home

Students take center stage with the Mason Players’ Originals

Colleen Rich — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 13:49:38 +0000

Students take center stage with the Mason Players’ Originals Colleen Rich Thu, 10/07/2021 - 09:49

A scene from the musical "Yet" by Mason students Drake Leach and Brandon Morris. Photo provided

“The Originals” is magical for both its stories and for the student-driven performances, said ��AV adjunct professor and playwright Frank Robinson Jr., co-director of “The Originals.”

Mason’s School of Theater and the Mason Players are presenting “The Originals” this week—a collection of new work featuring the school’s talented student playwrights. Mason creative artists have the opportunity to share their work in a variety of forms—a one-person show, a choreographed work, or the traditional 10-minute play structure.

This year’s program includes six plays: four multi-character 10-minute plays, a one-person show, and a musical, with a mix of themes including romantic, futuristic drama, and absurdist.

“I love ‘The Originals,’” said Jessica Singley, a senior theater major. “It’s probably one of my favorite parts of the Mason theater season every year.”

"Struggling at the Bottom of the Pool" was written by Brooke Kemph. Photo provided

This annual event happened over zoom last year, with each of the actors in their own homes. The last full production with a live audience was two years ago in 2019. This year’s performances were recorded before a reduced audience, dictated given the pandemic, which included faculty mentors and student designers and directors, who filled a few seats and cheered the students on.

The performance will be available to the public to watch online starting at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8, on the Center for the Arts Facebook page and YouTube channel. The recording will be available to watch through Oct. 16.

“Theater has changed irreparably as a result of the pandemic,” said Robinson, who teaches playwrighting in the School of Theater. “With professional actors, as well as student actors and our student playwrights, part of the reasons you do theater is for that interaction with your audience.”

Robinson said that as students prepare for hybrid audiences, both remote and in-person, they have to think outside the box. “The challenge is also the payback,” he added.

Singley’s 10-minute play, “Someone Has to Leave First,” is loosely inspired by a Richard Siken poem “The Worm Kings Lullaby,” she said.

"The Originals" is co-directed by Mason adjunct faculty members Frank Robinson Jr. and April Brassard. Photo provided

Mason alum and adjunct professor April Brassard serves as faculty mentor and co-director for “The Originals.”

“All of these students bring such rich life stories, and all of their pieces are really open-hearted,” said Brassard, who graduated from Mason in 2012 and also teaches playwrighting. “There’s a ton of talent and passion for the craft from young up-and-coming voices.”

Senior theater major Brooke Kemph said she worked closely with Brassard in the playwrighting course where her play, “Struggling at the Bottom of the Pool,” originated.

“The piece explores this relationship between two people,” said Kemph. “I really wanted to explore the concept of toxic relationships that people can find themselves stuck in.”

Drake Leach and Brandon Morris collaborated to create a musical titled “Yet.” Leach is a senior musical theater major and lyricist for this show, and Morris is a junior musical theater major and composer for this show.

“The premise of ‘Yet’ is a man waiting for his son to come up and discuss a plan to move into assisted living,” said Leach. “While doing that, he reminisces about the past, and in doing so, vividly imagined it so that it takes up his reality.”

“We started in a different spot in the beginning,” said Morris, who took Robinson’s playwriting class. “In some cases, the story influenced the music, and in other cases, the music influenced the story.”

Leach said they were both inspired by the work of their peers who were able to explore different types of characters in the musical.

“Working with your peers is great, and helps to build connections,” said Isabella Panciocco, a junior majoring in theater. “I have watched the show grow, and it feels magical.”

“It’s a supernatural coming-of-age story,” Panciocco said her play, “The Moon is Changing and So Are We,” which focuses on a man who thinks he was bitten by a werewolf. “It’s a story about how to deal with change and growing up, and how the world around you is changing. Sometimes you kind of feel stuck.”

Brassard noted that the production is a huge plus for the students, particularly for those who wrote the plays. “A lot of universities don’t give students that kind of launching pad,” said Brassard.

Topics

Students

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Theater

student artists