The Tripod

Media Credit: Courtesy of Claire Nasuti Clay Ciccariello '11 carefully hides from a barrage of Barbie dolls in "Frenzy for Two, or More: A Play by Eugene Ionesco."

"The Other Side of the Fence" Show Inspires, Teaches Audience

Apparently the grass is always greener on the other side, but the audience got the best of both worlds in senior Liz Sharpe's thesis, "The Other Side of the Fence." Sharpe used innovative dance and voice to create a beautiful and thoughtful piece about a life of adventure and risk contrasted with a life of safety and security. The work characterized "adventure," "curious," and "scared," through the cast members' performances.

Judene Small '08 danced the role of "adventure." She was obviously a traveler, wearing a backpack, capri pants, and a hat. Sharpe choreographed a strong dance that really highlighted Small's amazing talent as a dancer (she is perhaps the best dancer that has graced Trinity's stage during my three years here). Her beautiful leg extensions and the flexibility in her back were captivating. At the end, her movements were a bit more frantic because she was lost as a result of her adventurous lifestyle. As the program states, "she has nothing to hold on to, no one to come home to, no security or stability."

Lila Claghorn '08 represented the opposite, someone who was a little too secure and stable in her lifestyle. Claghorn's role was more theatrical than Small's, which was appropriate since Claghorn has had some of the most unforgettable roles in musical theater during her four years at Trinity. Claghorn acted the part of a young girl having fun reading. She lived vicariously through the characters in her books. This was a very clever part of the dance because Sharpe was able to use her creativity to craft different dances for different emotions: for "curious," Claghorn peeked through her long hair; for "scared," her movements were larger and her limbs stretched out much longer.

Before each solo there were a few minutes of pre-recorded monologue. Each dancer talked about their chosen lifestyle. Unfortunately, it was hard to hear what they were saying because the volume was too loud and the recording was scratchy. Despite this, the meaning of each piece was still clear.

The third section was a duet between the two dancers, when both acted curious about the other dancer's lifestyle. Small wanted to experience the conservative life and engaged herself in a book, while Claghorn became the traveler. My favorite parts of this section were when the two danced in unison.

Although a stunning piece, it was also sad. Each dancer continued living their respective lifestyle, "wondering what would have happened if they had taken that different path." Clearly, Sharpe put a lot of thought into her thesis. Its message was clear and the choreography was brilliant and stunning. Of the three pieces, this was my favorite.

"Insert Clever Title Here: A Play in One Act" Presents Social Commentary, Humor

I shared the same sentiments that the little six-year-old boy sitting behind me expressed about senior Claire Nasuti's thesis, "Insert Clever Title Here: A Play in One Act." "Why can't he just find a trash can?" "I like the skinny doctor." "They're drinking. Drinking is bad."

The only difference between the six-year-old's opinion and mine is that he shared them during the performance, while I kept my mouth quiet until writing this article.

I was very excited to see Nasuti's thesis, especially since I had heard that it was a comedy and that it completely sold out the first night. While it was a bit slow at first, I walked out of the tiny Garmany Hall in the Austin Arts Center completely satisfied. The play was clearly well thought-out, but it was the addition of the marvelous cast that made this play such a success.

Ryan Haney '10 played Johnny, a sick, uninsured man who relies on his best friend Eddie, played by David Kimball-Stanley '09. The two were paired nicely together and shared many sweet scenes. At times, however, their comedy was a bit too slapstick (especially when they were falling all over each other at the doctor's office), but they were very human characters. I think everyone in the audience could relate to the situations in which Johnny and Eddie found themselves: annoyed about health insurance, the feeling of déjà vu, and being in need of a friend.

The other two members of the cast kept the little six-year-old boy behind me laughing hysterically throughout the show. He wasn't alone, though, because the entire audience chuckled every time David Calder '08 and Bryce Snarski-Pierce '09 pranced, twirled, or stomped on stage. Each took on multiple roles in the play, and Haney and Kimball-Stanley recognized them as being the same people, adding a unique aspect to the execution of the work. This also demonstrated the diversity of Calder and Snarski-Pierce's talent. Calder played a suck-up medical intern and a dark, power-hungry insurance salesman, while Snarski-Pierce played a closeted, homosexual doctor and a germophobic insurance manager. The two also played wealthy, prostate-exam-loving cowboys, tie-dye-wearing hippies, and brutal police officers. Each role was completely different and spectacular. My personal favorite, however, was the scene in the insurance office. When Calder began to squirt the audience with anti-bacterial spray and Snarski-Pierce hid in fear behind the desk when a cornucopia of tissues came flying out of Haney's hat, I could barely contain my laughter.

Aside from the acting, the play would have been nothing without Nasuti's skills. It was witty, and the direction was artistic. Her creativity was apparent from the first scene with Haney to the ending with cops beating the friends. Her characters were fully developed and real. Both I, and the little six-year-old boy who sat behind me, applaud Nasuti on a year of successful work.

Nikolova '08 Conquers Unique Theater With Fantastic Thesis

Someone must have had a terrible, horrifying experience involving Barbies during their youth. Bodiless heads and headless bodies lined stage right and left for the entirety of senior Tina Nikolova's thesis, "Frenzy for Two or More: A Play By Eugene Ionesco." It was, to say the least, absurd, but that is a compliment because Ionesco was one of the most popular writers in the Theatre of the Absurd. My knowledge of this genre is limited to Ionesco's Rhinoceros, which I read (and barely understood) in a high school French class. So, I'm not going to try to interpret the dialogue because I might just be making a fool out of myself. Instead, I'll describe what I saw.

Besides the hanging Barbie dolls, the set was comprised of a mattress, clothes tossed around the room, two chairs, and a constantly arguing couple. Najeda Patolo '08 played the character "She" and Jamie Wilkinson '10 played "He." They fought about turtles and snails, soldiers going upstairs or downstairs, and countless other topics. While I did not understand everything that was said, I did catch that there was a sort of war going on and the two were hiding fearfully from that war.

Their dialogue was quick and took a great deal of comedic timing to convey the right emotions. The pair bickered incessantly with great conviction, yet still allowed the audience to see a few tender moments, creating an authentic portrayal of a passionate married couple. This convincing couple is a testament to the talent of both Patolo and Wilkinson.

The other characters had minor roles. Clay Ciccariello '11 played the soldier, Andy Weisenfeld '11 was the neighbor, and Tierney Nolen '11 was the neighbor's wife. I would have to say that their most interesting part in the play was during the Barbie doll massacre. The three stood off the stage and tossed Barbie arms, legs, heads, and torsos at Patolo and Wilkinson, who were trying to protect themselves from the onslaught under a mattress. This part lasted a very long time, but strangely enough, watching Barbie parts fly across the stage never got old. I should now mention that I myself was never a fan of the blonde doll. Anyway, with what little lines Ciccariello, Weisenfeld, and Nolen had, they all played their parts very well.

I do not know much about directing, but Nikolova certainly accomplished her mission. She had a vision for the play and I think Ionesco would have been proud at how truly absurd it was (and remember, that is indeed a compliment!).

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