RSO brings show to life

    On Oct. 4 to 7 the GCSU New Play Project presented “Evolution,” a play written by GCSU Grad Student Eddie Zipperer in the Max Noah Recital Hall.
    The New Play Project is a new RSO that uses its funds to get plays and productions written by GCSU students on to the stage. It receives funding from SGA in order to fund the plays that take place.
     “A play is only half done until it is put on stage,” director Nick Thompson said to the crowd before the show. “(The New Play Project) is to help student playwrights get their productions on stage.”
 “Evolution” is a story about the power struggle between the strong and the smart in a fledgling caveman society, and how both misuse their different strengths at various times.
  The story came to Zipperer while he was working a construction job.
    “After I graduated from college with my undergrad degree, I had no job,” Zipperer said.  “So I had to work construction.  I was the lowest person on the job – I was a ditch digger.  That’s what got me thinking about being the smartest caveman.”
    The play took Zipperer about three months to write.
    “I usually make a lot of changes as I write, but this one really came to me without many changes,” Zipperer said.
    Though the play was not originally meant to be a comedy, it evolved throughout the rehearsal process to become more humorous.
    “At first the writer said it’s not supposed to be funny,” said junior Steven Jones, who played the caveman Slarth and whose constant attachment to his drum was one of the running gags throughout the production. “The first time he saw us run through it he didn’t like it, but he started liking it after that.”
    Zipperer was pleased with the final product.
    “It was fantastic; I loved it,” he said.  “A lot was not what I was expecting, but that’s why I asked Nick Thompson to direct it, because I knew he’d do a good job with whatever he came up with.”
    According to GCSU alum Charles Bender, who played the intelligent and manipulative Richard, there were no inherently evil characters in the performance.
    “There are no bad characters, just one who’s a little bit of jerk,” he said, referring to his own character. “But he did (the things he did) to protect society, even from itself.”
     Sophomore Warren Downs played Unka, dim-witted but kind brother to Richard, and disagreed about Richard’s role in society.
      “He got what he had coming,” Downs said. “The play comments about society and politics, and his character abused power. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
     Downs’ character stabbed Richard for “the good of society” near the end of the play.
    The students who participated in the play enjoyed the experience, even though most of them were not theatre majors themselves.
    “(Acting in the play) was great,” sophomore Alexandria Drake said. “Everyone should have an opportunity to do something like this.”
    Lauren McDonald, sophomore, who played the female lead as Gruba also enjoyed the experience.
    “It was absolutely a great experience,” McDonald said. “I hope to do more in the future.”
     The actors also emerged literally stronger from the experience, as they were constantly forced to walk on their hands and knees and remain hunched over for most of the performance.
    “It was bad for the first week or so,” said junior Lashaundra Pierce, who played a caveman extra. “But then we got used to it. It’s second nature now.”
    McDonald agreed, even though her character usually walked upright.
    “My knees are one big bruise,” she said.
     “Evolution” will be showing at Georgia Military College on Oct. 24 in the Goldstein Auditorium.  The show will begin at 8 p.m.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 12 2007. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry