The spring’s 1212 play, Things You Can Do by playwright Kristen Palmer, opens Thursday in the Studio Theater at the Kellner Performing Arts Center.
Things You Can Do tells the story of an over-achieving graduate student on a visit to her hometown, where her mother and sister are grappling with anxiety and isolation.
“It’s a play I’ve always loved, and I’m so excited that we’re doing it,” said Performing Arts Department faculty member Eleza Kort, who is directing. “It explores the question of what we can do—on a broad level, while facing global problems like climate change, and on a personal level to help the people in our lives.”
The cast and crew includes Ella Goldberg ’24, Zain “Z” Sheikh ’24, Keira Zhuo ’24, Soraya Darvish ’24, Ly Tanzi ’26, and Abigail Song ’24. 1212 Plays are typically pared-down, intimate productions with small casts and crews, named for the room in Warren Hall where they originated.
The students had an opportunity to meet with Palmer and rehearse some scenes for her feedback. Palmer was a Melissa Dilworth Gold ’61 Visiting Artist this spring, and she spent time working with performing arts and creative writing classes. The visit was an exciting opportunity for the actors to develop their characters and explore the content more thoroughly.
“The beauty of a play like this is that each character has a full story,” said Ms. Kort. “The characters feel very real and current.”
Things You Can Do runs Thursday, May 4, and Friday, May 5, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, May 6, at 7 p.m. in the Studio Theater. Tickets are not required, but seating is limited. Music teacher Alan Rodi has composed an original soundscape for the production, and performing arts teacher Evan DelGaudio designed the lighting.
Content advisory: Things You Can Do tackles issues of mental health, gun violence, and sexual misconduct, and some characters use adult language.
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