Comedies and spoofs are central on this year’s menu of
UCLA’s theater department play series.
Kicking off their 2002-2003 series, third-year master of fine
art students in the theater department present Christopher
Durang’s “The Marriage of Bette and Boo” and
Caryl Churchill’s “Cloud Nine,” directed by
professors Larry Arrick and April Shawhan, respectively, starting
tonight and running through Nov. 23.
“We wanted to choose plays that were different in acting
styles and would be able to give students the opportunity to play
challenging roles in two different plays,” said Arrick, a
visiting directing professor. “Furthermore, it forces the
students to mold themselves and act in two plays with drastically
different styles.”
Many of the students said that the plays give them a chance to
work on parts that force them to reach beyond their regular limits
and obliterate their comfort boundaries.
“Arrick made the language very challenging for the
actors,” said Armando Gutierrez, who plays Matt the narrator.
“It was a great exercise in realism and being able to
actually talk to cast and audience members during the
production.”
The plays differ greatly, not only in basic plot, but also in
their themes, and in the way the actors were trained to perform in
them.
Durang’s comedy recalls the story of a marriage, seen
through the eyes of Durang’s alter ego. As he guides the play
through the marriage, he encounters many experiences with his
dysfunctional family ““ including his alcoholic father, uncles
and overbearing aunts ““ that make him want to change his
ways.
“This is definitely a dark comedy,” Arrick said.
“The absurdity is apparent in numerous scenes including one
in which the character goes to have lunch with four relatives, two
of whom are dead. This was Durang’s outlet in working through
the difficulties he saw in his own family.”
Rather than focusing the play on the witty language, Arrick
centralized the play on the design and set to create a dream-like
ambiance for the actors. By making a set with mobile furniture,
Arrick shows how nothing in this play stays in one place, but
rather has a more ephemeral existence. According to Arrick, it
reflects a slow-motion kaleidoscope that he aims to convey to the
audience.
On the flip side, Churchill’s “Cloud Nine,” is
a play that not only stretches actors to reach beyond their acting
skills, but also to reach out of their skin.
According to Arrick, speaking for director Shawhan, who was
unavailable for comment, “Cloud Nine” concerns people
during imperial moments in British history as well as contemporary
British times. The play couples themes of colonial politics and
sexuality, focusing on sexual ambiguity with actors crossing
genders in their roles.
“”˜Cloud Nine’ is symbolic of the repression
felt by numerous minorities including women and gays and
lesbians,” said Kara Revel, playing the role of a divorced
lesbian. “(It’s) divided into two acts: colonial
Britain and 1980s London. Audience members can see the development
of sexuality and how the veil of repression was ripped off toward
the end.”
The play, set in the playful environment of a park, aims to
create a different ambiance for audience members ““ one where
they too are forced to deal with a spoof on sexuality, but it also
affects the cast members themselves.
“When you present a topic, you can’t help but open
yourself to the experience and dive into your own psyche,”
Revel said. “I even dove into the world of different
sexualities to get into character. I went to Palms in West
Hollywood, danced with go-go dancers and flirted with girls to
experience the world of lesbians and learn more about relationships
and repression.”
By combining different themes and styles, both plays create
environments where the student-actors can learn how to simulate
distinct emotions and portray them accurately.
“I wanted the actors to go beyond reality and
naturalism,” Arrick said. “They’re always dealing
with reality and truth, but I wanted them, while holding on to the
truth, to extend past reality and experience the
differences.”
THEATER: “The Marriage of Bette and Boo” will be
performed on Nov. 14, 16, 21, 22 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 23 at 2 p.m.
“Cloud Nine” will be performed Nov. 15, 19, 20, 23 at 8
p.m. and Nov. 16 at 2 p.m..The performances will take place in the
Little Theater at Macgowan Hall. Tickets are $17 for general
admission and $7 for students. For more information call (310)
825-2101.