Page 60 - Phoenix2000-01

Thursday, November 16, 2000 - Page 8 FEATURES Theater produces success with Miller's The Crucible 60 Seconds BJ SHORI! AND JOAN FAULKNI':R cific incident, but about bigger issues." Assi. Commenr(lry and AS.!'I. News Edi/()rs What are you thankful for? Senior Martha Tudor, character Rebecca Bravo to everyone in the cast and crew Nurse and sound designer, said that this was of the WMC's recent production of "The the "first time [I hadJ done something this Compiled by: Brad Widner Crucible". dramatically different with a play." In case you weren't one of the 430 people How did the length of three hours effect who came out to see this historical play with the audience? Junior Dave Kemp thought the a contemporary twist, perhaps you should play "wasn't overly long. It went by fast." Marcus Woods '03 be enlightened about it. Sophomore Chris Hickle agreed that "the From October 25 through October 28, reaction to [the play] went pretty well." "For the people who care about WMC students performed this play in the Hickle added that "a lot of people talked me." Dorothy Elderdice Studio in Alumni Hall. about it." Dr. Ron Miller, professor of Theatre and The cast rehearsal, on the other hand, con- director of the play, said that he had not di- sisted of long days and a lot of time. Kemp rected that kind of realism in a number of added that although "it was a good process, years. it was very emotionally intense." In the director's notes, he said that he Niki Averill, who played Abigial Will- needed to find a way to present the playas iams, said that she and some other cast mem- it now seemed by illustrating "the process bers were initially concerned that ."the audi- Maria Portuondo '03 by which an outsider is punished by his corn- ence members would get bored, but they "My family." munny for thinking differently than the rest roughed it out." of the 'tribe'." Averill also noted that they had a decent Because of the play's universalism, turnout except for Thursday night when, she Miller decided to use a modern-day setting estimates, only about 50 people came to see with televisions and music which includes it. Nine Inch Nails and Rage Against the Ma- In fact, one night a respondent From the chine. ACTF, American College Theatre Festival, Although he added this modern contrast, attended, said Miller. he hoped the audience would still "recog- There were good things and things could nize the characters and not think they're have been better given more rehearsal time, from some alien place and that the play is Miller said. The length made it difficult to Hussein Samater '02 still vital Ito today}." rehearse all the scenes enough, he adds. "Being alive." Of the students participating in the pro- Melissa O'Brien, character Mary Warren, duction, half were part of a performance lab said that she was "pretty nervous and ex- and the other half were doing it as an inter- hausted with not enough rehearsal time." est and to continue their theatre experience. O'Brien also said that there was some Students began rehearsing around Sep- kind of "unique energy" that kept the cast tember 10, and then intensely once going. In a similar manner, Avenll said there Lysistrata ended, as several actors/actresses was "a great chemistry in the cast" and it was Tina Patronas '04 and were in both shows. a lot of fun to perform Nicole Pennella '04 Senior Joy Thomas, assistant director Overall the play could have been inter- and character Elizabeth Proctor, agreed that preted in a variety of ways, says Miller, and "Our families, the opportunity to this interpretation was "not about onespe- "people take from a play what they get." expand our minds, while meeting a few interesting people along the way." This episode: Leftovers LISA DALE VAN AUKEN But then I wake up in the middle of the SloffWriler night for no reason and I swear I hear some- Welcome to room 403G. It's smail, thing in the bathroom next door. cramped, cluttered, andfivejIights above When I tell Karen in the morning, she Rouzer parking lot. We call it home. says, "I know. I heard it too." For her, it's confirmed: we have a ghost. , November is naturally spooky. But I am not sure. It a ghost living in our bathroom," I It's true that October is infused with hor- So I start talking to people about it. ror movies, kids in drag, and plastic bodies "There's hung from porches. I say to Cat, our other roommate. Cast and crew o/The Crucible take a,minute 10pose/or the camera a/ter the show one night And that Halloween is enchanted with red "Don't say that," she says. "You'll freak; 1_ falling leaves and people mocking mortality me out." Dear Kitty: get the advice of with rubber knives. is intrinsically morose. , dead Civil War minister." some Another friend says, "It's probably But November Even if some of that Halloween horror "What's he doing in my shower?" I say. a WMC psychology major didn't carry over into the next month, on its "Making up for lost time?" ' • to be No- enough be still scary would vember I decide that I am going Secretly, Do you ever have those pressing opinion on, write a letter and send it to own. 'the one to get to the bottom of this-that the The skies go gray and the leaves suddenly ghost (which I don't necessarily believe in) problems to which you wished you had Kitty. Send it through campus mail to just crap out and fall off. Gnarled, naked 'has chosen me to be some sort of earthly a quick answer? box 797. branches claw at the wintry clouds. Earth emissary so I can relate its message to oth- Well, there may not be.a quick an- Dear Kitty will be a new column in becomes a little unearthly. ers . swer, but there is Kitty. Kitty will read The Phoenix. The author is a WMC psy- That's why I'm not surprised when . One day, when no one is around, I go in your problems and maybe give you a chology major, and not a licensed pro- Karen, one of my roommates, starts talking the bathroom to talk to it, hoping it will ac- few options you hadn't thought of yet, fessional. about a "creepy feeling" she gets when she's knowledge me if "I acknowledge -it. But it so go ahead ask for help, Ask Kitty... Kilty just presents a forum for people up in the middle of the night to 'pee. 'doesn't. and J get j If you have a question, a problem, who would like to look at their issues in At first I don't believe it. Ghosts, spirits, November weeks pass. Karen or iust a situation you would like an a different wav. goblins. All that stuff belongs in October. continued on page 9 ",;,"i'Yt'.\'t ',".,''1.''. .-.' .",,;.;\:,,' .","~,..~ ; '" _ _ ~".!