The Play's the Thing

On Thurs., Feb. 7, 2012 three students from Plymouth State University, Abbie Morin, Luke Meierdiercks, and Anna Smith, debuted their one act plays at the Smith Recital Hall for the Playwright's Showcase. Their plays, "The Angry Tomato", "The Devil's Spit", and "Tickling the Ivories", respectively, were all chosen by a committee to be staged and performed for the event, which puts on a select number of student's theatrical work every three years. It is important to note though that it is not in fact a true play that is being performed but a staged reading of the works. This means that actors had their scripts in their hands for most of the plays and that the sets are mostly bare of anything except for the essential props necessary. This was done in order to further cast light on the role of the playwrights and their work.     

The first play, "The Angry Tomato", which was directed by Ryann Willard, follows a couple who are moving into a new apartment and the gradual dissolution of their relationship. Despite the sad sounding premise, The Angry Tomato is actually a rather funny play. What really bolsters the play is the commitment level of the actors in it, Chase Perkins and Haley McKenney, who handle the comedy and drama that the play swings back and forth between with ease. The two carry the play with their chemistry and energy and are given plenty to work with in return. Morin works in some wonderful lines for the two actors, particularly sticking out was a bizarre Andy Warhol quote stated by Perkins at the tail end of the play.

Next came "The Devil's Spit", directed by Sharon Paquette. The play is a strange one about a traveler named Hugo who is on a journey with no clear end. The audience sees all of the people and things he runs into along the way as he carries bags that hold his freedom and compassion and other such values. It's a highly inventive and original play by Meierdiercks with the beginning and middle similar in tone to a Samuel Beckett play. The third act, however, takes a strange turn tone wise with the introduction of the characters the Scorpion, Snake, and Spider. Played by Sarah LaCount, Sam St. Jean, and Benedict Cesare respectively, the characters are on a totally different and campy tone and simultaneously insanely entertaining to watch. It was a shot of adrenaline for the play for sure, but it was a bit confusing seeing how they fit in with the quiet and stern tone the play had set up before.

The final play performed was "Tickling the Ivories", directed by Paul Mrozcka. The play is hysterical, telling the story of Sergei, a Russian pianist, who gets a bit too close with a mob moll and ends up on the run from some Wisconsin gangsters. Special note needs to be made of the first five minutes which had the whole theater rolling in the aisles. This is not to say that the rest of the play isn't hysterical, as it is a very funny play, just that the jokes were coming so fast in the first five minutes some of the jokes slipped right by the audience since they were laughing so hard. The rest of the play follows the suit of the opening, full of double entendres and a dedicated performance by Kyle Trumble as the innocuous Sergei. Also, there are some great little jokes in the play as well with characters in smaller parts, such as a gangster that constantly gets pushed around by his fellow mobsters that add further to the slapstick world created by Smith.

The Playwright's Showcase has served as a great place to let students show their peers their work and this year was no exception. Each of the playwrights brought their own unique style to the table and came away with a great reception and the amazing experience of seeing their work performed live. The only unfortunate thing about the Showcase is that we will now have to wait another three years to see what our peers work performed again.