Zero props. One oak tree made of humans. Two weekends of performances. Fourteen college kids spending three hours a night, six days a week, creating a piece of art.
What’s it like to make words printed on a page into a living, breathing creation? I’ve had the chance to experience it firsthand as a member of the cast in my first full-length college play: VUTheatre’s production of Orlando by Sarah Ruhl.
The story is based on the book Orlando by Virginia Woolf. It explores a fantastical world where gender and time are fluid, following the life of a boy called Orlando as he grows up, writes poems, falls in love, and wakes up one day as a woman. The play reckons with societal expectations of gender, challenges traditional ideas of relationships, and searches earnestly for the meaning of life itself.
We started rehearsals the first week back from winter break and have been working non-stop ever since. For me, the most exciting part of any show is “tech week,” when lights, sound, and costumes are added to the acting we’ve practiced. At this moment, a fragmented story is made whole. From the stage manager to the designers to the director to the crew, staging a play is the ultimate team effort.
Four first-year students are in the cast, and several others are lending their skills backstage. I think we all agree the nightly trek from Commons to Neely Auditorium has been worth every minute. Over the last month, we’ve watched this story come to life, and now we couldn’t be more excited to help share it with the world.
