Pro-voice |
Kiana Cox |
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The on-campus performances of "Keely and Du" and "Poof" are stirring up emotions and the theatre department wants to know what you have to say.
With four of the theater department's leading ladies playing lead roles, the shows, from a theatrical standpoint, could foreshadow greatness. From a political or social point of view, controversy is inevitable. "I normally enjoy shows more when they deal with political and social issues," actor Randall Middleton said. "I think that theater is a great way of dealing with the problems in a communal way." "Poof" deals with the issue of spousal abuse. Two battered women, played by Monica Samii and Myah Shaw, come together to discuss the unexpected and unusual death of Samii's on-stage husband. "I would like the audience to understand that women won't always stand for being pushed around," Shaw said. "I think that anyone who has experienced abuse should be able to feel like they can leave." Samii agreed. "They can get away and it just takes words," she said. And many words have been spoken about "Poof's" counterpart, "Keely and Du." Keely, played by Rachel Tiemann, is kidnapped by a benevolent, yet extremist religious group that is trying to keep her from aborting a baby that was conceived through rape. "I want the audience to go away thinking about how unique the abortion issue is to each case, and how difficult it is to mandate something for all women," Sarah Maxfield, who portrays Du, said. "Each case has its own set of issues. We don't always think about all of the circumstances that surround abortions." Ultimately, members of the cast said they do not want the audience to choose sides, but rather to understand both sides. "I don't want them to decide pro-life or pro-choice," Tiemann said. "I ask that they just see the other side of the issue." Director William Grivna agreed. "'Keely and Du' examines both sides of the question with intensity and fairness," Grivna said. "That is not to say that a point of view is not implicit in the script or the production, but watch it. Feel it, and as always, you will have to decide for yourself." "Keely and Du" and "Poof" will be showing at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18, 19, 25 and 26 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 27 in the Dunham Hall theater. | |
"Keely and Du" and "Poof" are two controversial plays ready to hit the Dunham Hall stage.