Excellent theater often takes place when the audience can relate to the characters onstage. With 香港六合彩's Department of Theatre鈥檚 new production, some attendees will literally see themselves portrayed on stage.
Word for Word features student-written pieces of documentary theater based on interviews with more than two dozen people. It explores suicide, family gatherings and technology.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really interesting because it鈥檚 a reflection of real people鈥檚 words,鈥 said Alyssa Germaine, 鈥19, of Attleboro. 鈥淭here will be people in the audience who have said the words in the script. Part of theater is a reflection of the human condition. This is one of the most accurate ways you can do that.鈥
Alyssa and Michael Eckenreiter, Charles Hill, Dylan Crowley and Skye Corbin wrote the play for Lisa Rafferty鈥檚 Lab Theatre class. BSU students 鈥 including some of the writers 鈥 will perform Word for Word Nov. 29 through Dec. 2 in the Rondileau Campus Center.
Their first piece, Removing the Mask, explores suicide and depression. The playwrights see it partly as a way to erase the stigma around those topics.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 affected just about everyone,鈥 Dylan, 鈥19, who is from Whitman, said of the opening play鈥檚 theme.
The production takes a lighter, comedic turn with Growing Up Stories, which features tales of holiday traditions.
鈥淲e figure everyone has some funny, embarrassing story from the holidays,鈥 Alyssa said.
Screenshot highlights the relationships between technology and humanity. Technology can, for example, connect people battling a rare disease with each other in ways that might otherwise be impossible.
鈥淚n addition to developing these kinships and community, we talk about trepidation with the Internet 鈥 why it鈥檚 important to be careful about what you share,鈥 said Michael, 鈥19, of Fairhaven.
The young playwrights said developing the work from scratch was an incredible learning experience that will help them in their future careers. Many want to work in the theater. Charles, 鈥19, of Boston, hopes to teach the craft to students.
In addition to interviews, students used social media posts in developing their scripts, Charles said.
鈥淚t was a chance to use the distinct voices of the people that make up our community and other communities and unite it under a theme,鈥 said Dylan. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a collection of the human experience or humanity鈥檚 moments.鈥
More information and tickets are available at BSUtix.com. Tickets will also be sold at the door.
Photo caption: Student playwrights Charles Hill, left, Alyssa Germaine, Michael Eckenreiter and Dylan Crowley