DIRECTING PORTFOLIO: STUDENT BODY
Photos courtesy of Becca Wiesel & Noelle Bovee
Click the image above to view the script and supplemental materials for my initial proposal.
PRE- PRODUCTION
While touring colleges in the summer of 2017, I came across Marquette University. While there, I found myself fascinated by a specific project within their theatre. Every year, Marquette produces a Social Justice theatre piece that they believe is relevant to both the campus community, and the world at large in an attempt to inspire change.
I remember thinking, "I want to do that."
​
Flash forward nearly a year later, and I was thinking about shows that I might accomplish that with. While discussing this project on my tour, my guide mentioned the show Student Body by Frank Winters as an example of a Social Justice piece. Intrigued, I decided to read the show. And what I read blew me away. The discussion, the humor, the pacing, the stakes. All of it seemed perfect. Specifically, however, what struck me the most about this show is its characters.
​
In most social action theatre, I find that the authors work can transform from a script into a sermon. I actively resist the notion that we must demonize the other side of any argument in order to win. Instead, we must give equity to both sides. By allowing the people you disagree with to feel valued, you encourage discussion, which is what social action theatre is meant to provoke in the first place.
The fact that the characters of Student Body express real viewpoints in a logical manner encouraged me to think about directing the show later on in my college career, perhaps Junior or Senior year. However events, both on campus and throughout the world, convinced me otherwise:
-
The selection of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, despite the testimony of Dr. Ford.
-
The redefining of Title 9 rights on college campuses.
-
The banning of the Sigma Chi Fraternity on UNC campus for repeated instances of sexual assault during parties.
​
These happenings convinced me that the time to address the issue of Campus Sexual Assault was now. Not in a few years. Not tomorrow, now. So, I spent two months preparing, and pitched the show to SOAPBox. A week later, I received news about my pitch. Out of everyone's pitch, mine had been selected for SOAPBox's Mainstage.
​
This is where the fun began.
REHEARSAL PROCESS
Although there was some debate about how long rehearsals should go, we eventually settled on rehearsing for three weeks, Tech-ing for one. Rehearsals typically lasted around an hour and a half, with a ten minute break somewhere in the middle. One thing that became a main focus in our rehearsals was actor comfort.
​
Saying that sexual assault is a difficult topic would be a gross understatement. Because we needed to make our actors comfortable with the topic, and with each other, ensemble building became a key focal point in our work on this show. Ten minute warm-ups before every rehearsal helped the actors to grow as an ensemble, and to dust off any psychological residue from the day. Several character relationship rehearsals took place, and we encouraged the actors to hang out after rehearsals. The characters of Student Body are, after all, a group of friends, and it was crucial that the actors feel this way. As they grew more comfortable with the script, and with one another, discoveries started to be made in the rehearsal room. Risks were taken and rewarded. Emotional depths were reached that I am certain could not have happened without the comfort of the actors.
​
Click the image above to view the rehearsal schedule and a sample rehearsal breakdown.
PERFORMANCES
One thing that became worrying during rehearsals was a lack of space throughout the School of Theatre Arts and Dance. Renovations on one of our ideal performance spaces forced it to close, and forced us to find an alternative.
What we settled on was a room referred to as Gray 4. A former dance studio, it had been used as many things. A classroom, a movie theatre, and a rehearsal room had all previously inhabited the space. We decided Gray 4 would be best because it's scrappy aesthetic benefitted the show, which takes place in a black box theatre in-between shows. In the picture to the left, you'll note that two enormous pillars occupy the space. We thought this might pose a problem, but they actually ended up benefitting the show. A crucial fight scene involved one character slamming another into a pillar!
Audience reaction to this show was off the charts incredible!! People came up to both cast and crew alike exclaiming how much this show had affected them. Specifically, Rebecca Rich Joy, a professor of Acting at UNCo, noted that it was "Really well done!". What made me proudest though, was not the praise, but the discussion afterwards. As they exited, people were still discussing the show and its impact on them. Still debating the actions of the characters. This was what made the show special for me. I picked Student Body in order to spark a conversation about how we address sexual assault. So often, this issue gets ignored simply because people are uncomfortable with discussing it. Student Body helped break that comfort barrier, and left our audiences thinking about how they might change the world.
MARKETING MATERIALS
Posters used to promote the show