Leslie GlavinCabrini’s fall theatre presentation is a perfect fix for the hungry person with an appetite for the salty and the sweet; “An Evening of One Act Plays,” performed Nov. 15, 16, 20, 21 & 22 at 8 p.m., in the theater. Beyond curtains and stages; beyond makeup and costumes lies a hunger and a passion for the art of acting, as implicitly illustrated by a group of Cabrini’s own actors.
Scene I: The theater for a musical performance of “The Apple Tree” directed by theater director Neal Newman
In a place where a “four-prong, white squirter” is a cow, this was, without a doubt, my favorite story of creation. Adam and Eve, played by juniors John Holloway and Lauren Mineo, had amazing chemistry and a strong sense of pure acting as they graced the stage with Mark Twain’s rendition of “The Story of Creation.”
“The Apple Tree” will bring each audience member a new biblical appreciation for the first couple, Adam and Eve. Common stereotypes of both men and women are present among the leaves and fountains of the wilderness. Holloway’s dumbfounded, all-knowing expressions contrast well-spoken Mineo’s emotional purity through the entire act.
The sarcastic and seductive snake, played by sophomore Kharisma McIlwayne, is decked-out in a black feather boa and netted top that adds to the irony of her song, “Forbidden Fruit.”
This is a show for everyone. The use of asides from both Adam and Eve help the audience understand the discoveries and tribulations endured by the first man and first woman on earth. “The Apple Tree” is an intriguing, exciting and imaginative journey into a garden we can all relate to.
Scene II: The atrium for a short one-act play, “At Sea,” directed by Holloway
It’s a beautiful day at sea for Edie and Hal, a couple played by senior Mike Paolucci and McIlwayne. Wearing your typical swimming attire, Hal’s dry humor still is not enough to keep him from being drenched by the end of the act. Extravagant, avant-garde Edie is too busy to pay attention to Hal’s attempts to drown his future during the entire scene.
This unexpected display of humor is both entertaining and sure to be a real splash and there is never a dry moment.
Scene III: The theater for “Aria da Capo,” a 1920’s drama directed by senior Marian Gibfried
Set as a theater in the round, this 1920’s one-act gives you the feeling that you are seeing two shows at once. A play-within-a-play, this play plays with the minds of the audience.
Columbine, played by sophomore Maria DiVergiliis, is to “Aria da Capo” as Roxie Hart is to “Chicago.” A blonde with an attitude and a thirst for fame can only be paired with a sleek counterpart; sophomore Justin Hallman who plays Pierrot. “I’m a socialist. I love humanity, but I hate people,” Pierrot says to Columbine. In his cream-colored, three-piece suit, Hallman is the portrayal of an arrogant actor with high aspirations.
Sophomore Ryan Cox plays Thrysis, and Ari Nepon, a off-campus talent, plays Corydon. Both actors rehearse a scene for their director, Cothurnus, played by Holloway, where they learn that envy and evil can be as easily taken as it can be given.
“Aria da Capo,” is certainly a mind-boggling 1920s drama that adds a little flavor to the evening.
Scene IV: The Dixon Center pool for “Hey Good Lookin’,” a comedy also directed by Holloway
In a place where Herpes is a god, “reflective glory” is the perfect way to summarize sophomore Jon Harrar’s personal relationship with himself as he portrays Narcissus in this Grecian presentation.
Narration is done by Gibfried and Hallman, whose luring and laid-back mannerisms keep the audience centered on the humor instead of the humidity. “Narcissus tried to catch the olive department, but all he got is the pits, “Gibfried said after Narcissus endured a superficial conversation with his reflection while peering over the river’s edge.
Narcissus’s wife, played by junior Leslie Connus, soon discovers her own reflection’s attractiveness. Both Connus and Harrar portray the Greek life as rather liberated and superficial.
This display of satire and humor tickles the heart and drenches the mind with the stereotypes of life in ancient Greece. It is creative, inventive and sure to make every audience member laugh his or her head off.
If you have a hunger for entertainment, see this fall’s theater presentation. It is a night that will spark a smile on your face for days after its over. The fall productions are a complete display of the talent Cabrini has to offer and the reality that talent can be found in all places.
Posted to the web by: Cecelia Francisco
