Author: Alison Kjeldgaard
On Sunday, three short plays were presented to a small audience in Keck Theater to end the weekend’s play festival. All three plays involved an interaction between two strangers who meet under unconventional circumstances.
“We’re Going to Have to Ask You to Check Your Dignity” by Emme Geissal (senior) opened the hour-long series. Set at a customer service desk in the airport, an angry customer, played by Jordan Puryear (first-year), accuses TSA of stealing her vibrator from her suitcase. The play continues as Puryear becomes more and more frustrated (not to mention more embarrassed) with the comically stoic TSA official, played by Andrew Nafts (sophomore).
“The Race” by Caitlin Anderson followed up Geissal’s short comedy. Guy, played by Maxwell Rattner (sophomore), gets advice from an older man named Gray, played by professional actor Jack Kandel, at the horse races. Guy is bright-eyed and in love, while Gray bitterly jokes about marriage.
The juxtaposition of the two characters made for a humorous dialogue.
The characters developed more layers of complexity when Gray revealed his anger over his wife’s affair with his boss.
The last play of the series was “Unchained” by Courtney Dusenberry. The play as a whole was surreal and metaphorical, questioning modern relationships and gender roles.
The lights came on to Reba Buhr (junior) chained to a bed in a department store with a “Sale” sign tied to the bedpost in a department store.
As a sports agent, Lily is constantly running from one city to the next, having no time for a long-term relationship.Sam, played by Alex Marshall (junior), wanders onstage, and is first bewildered by Lily’s strange situation, but quickly warms up to her quirky demeanor.
The series showcased the depth of Oxy students’ ability to produce creative and polished works, and left an enthusiastic audience hoping to see more events like this in the future.
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