Colonnade

Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Features

Media Credit: Lissa Speer Steve Holbert and Matt Riley act in "Scapino," a play directed by Sean Casey.

Media Credit: Lissa Speer Scott Howard and Nic Marrone perform in "Scapino."

Media Credit: Lissa Speer Addison Walden (right) holds the characters at gunpoint.

The night opened with a scene from "Scapino." Student director Sean Casey chose a high-energy comedy that filled the audience with laughter. Nic Marrone, a fellow classmate of Casey, played the part of Leandro. The scene opened with a swell of snickering as Marrone ran from the stage, into the audience and back as he chased character Scapino, played by Steve Holbert. Marrone's character was determined to kill Scapino. Hysteria ensued as the audience roared with laughter, all the while the actors stayed in character and kept the audience on the edge of their seats.

The students of Directing II brought their work to the stage on Thursday night to an audience of about 75 students and teachers. The Directing II class had nine student directors and about 30 volunteer student actors.

Each student was required to pick a scene from a play they would enjoy directing in order to show their teacher all they had learned in class during the semester. Elisha Hodgin, junior theater major, chose what some would call a controversial scene.

"This story and this scene will make you think," said Hodgin. "That is what I think theater is here for."

Hodgin's scene was from "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot." Hodgin wanted people to know that "You do not have to be a Christian to see the importance of the story of Judas Iscariot."

The scene Hodgin chose portrayed Judas in a modern voice in such a relatable way. The student actors Hodgin chose to perform in her scene consisted of Caroline Horlacher, Gabrielle Byndloss, Shaun Manny, Zane Wind and Bren Thomas. The scene ended and the lights resumed.

Even more moved than the audience, were the actors themselves.

"This story has had a great impact on me and my spiritual well-being," Hodgin said. "So much, in fact, that I wanted to share it with you."

Every scene was different and kept the audience interested. Although the plays lasted longer than a normal production, the audience thoroughly enjoyed every moment in a night full of emotion and free entertainment.

Lauren Adel, sophomore theater major, spent the evening observing her fellow classmates performing on stage from a different angle this time.

"I really enjoyed being a part of the audience for once," Adel said. "I can learn something that I normally wouldn't have if I had been up there performing."

When not performing, most of the actors enjoyed sitting in the audience watching the other productions.

"It's nice to be able to see my friends perform," said Bren Thomas, junior theatre major. "It's not often you get to see the other shows because we're usually backstage getting ready to go on ourselves."

Marrone acted in two different scenes directed by different students. His performance in the first scene left the audience in the midst of a laughing attack, but his second scene proved to be a crowd favorite.

It was a scene from "Spring Awakening," which is a play that criticizes the sexually-oppressive nature of Germany at the turn of the century. The scenes student director Danielle Pratt chose contained themes of great sexual discovery in one's self or in others. Marrone, who played the part of Ernst, had to act the part of a character that forced him to do something out of the norm. His performance, along with student actor Evan Fields, left the audience speechless and on their feet applauding.

"I really enjoyed being a part of the student directed scenes," Marrone said. "It's very demanding though, since we all have to get together and rehearse outside of class."

The night came to a happy ending as professor Karen Berman congratulated her students on a job well done and a big thank you to everyone who came to see the show.

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