Suicide, homosexuality addressed in plays

By Sean Moreno

Five dramatic theater performances, titled “Student Written One
Acts,” were held Friday night in the Theater Department’s Studio
Theater.

Students wrote, acted and presented the short plays, presenting
controversial issues and comical scenes.

“I liked the performances, but they were a little depressing
because of all the suicides,” said Nick Wilkins, a first-year
electrical engineering student.

Three of the five productions ended in suicide, one story
included two suicides, making that a total of four suicides of the
night, possibly a record.

Those students who participated in the six-day production had a
hefty schedule, spending approximately 48 hours a week at
practice.

The five plays, “Relative Strangers,” “Fly,” “Festivus,”
“Rock-A-Bye” and “Don’t Go Down,” featured mainly freshman
preparing for their main stage performances.

“Casting freshmen gives them an opportunity to act before their
main stage performance, and everyone was surprised with the
freshmen class of actors. They stepped up,” said Danielle Mohlman,
a fourth-year communications student.

Though the freshmen actors were relatively inexperienced, their
performances had an impressive impact on the audience in comparison
to prior nights of production.

“The performances were better tonight, the energy was up and
they carried it into their character,” said Stage Manager Raymond
Chang.

“Relative Stranger,” a drama about a male homosexual “coming out
of the closet,” had a surprising kiss between two male actors.

Chuckles and gasps were heard throughout the audience as the
actors looked deeply into each other’s eyes, forewarning the
unsuspected kiss; it was a highlight of night’s performances
because of the actor’s spontaneous and poised attitude.

“I’m proud of our boys who did the kiss. They were scared and
didn’t want to do it. But they went above and beyond,” said
Mohlman.

Most actors have a phobia about kissing, whether it is
heterosexually or homosexually, but the two performers definitely
triumphed their fears.

To end the night, the last play depicted the Elliot Smith
suicide story and Heath Ledger’s abrupt death in a compilation
production, which contrasted the similarities and differences
between their lives.

“I appreciate the minimal set, and the number of props used. It
makes the audience focus on the acting and the writing of the
plays, which was amazing,” said Michelle Chang, a second-year
english student.

Reach Sean Moreno at lifestyle@thepolypost.com

Suzanne Khazaal/Poly Post

Suicide, homosexuality addressed in plays