The student led play, ctrl presents a visual representation of what happens internally to a person with some form of mental illness. Beginning the initial conception nearly a year ago, the one act play, opening this weekend, was created by Seniors Annie Galloway, Autumn Ike, Malia Yang, and Nikki Rom.
The student showcase, originally planned to be performed in the fall, has been transformed into something new. The additional time and resulting changes have made the entire year’s process an experience itself.
During the initial meeting between the creators, they discussed their fears and frustrations about mental illness in their lives—either illness that they had known themselves or through others. The biggest frustration they experienced was that the majority of symptoms cannot be seen. Presenting this issue through the four performers, one will represent the body while the other three will be representing the mental illness. Rom spoke to the extent of how much ctrl really means to the creators.
“I think this is one of the most important plays I have ever been in. 45 minutes may seem brief but for us it has been incredibly significant. Giving someone solidarity with what they struggle with or providing a perspective for those who have no idea, the entire performance is very visceral,” Rom stated.
“This collaboration between all of us has found us making something special from the ground up. This is why it is so important for all of us to get everything just right.”—Annie Galloway
As it’s pivotal for the crew and cast to represent such a sensitive and personal topic, an incredible amount of effort has been placed into every action. Because it is difficult to represent the extent of mental illness through only four performers, the creators have spent the past four months perfecting and editing their material. Once the material had been chosen, they then came to a final decision over how even a finger is moved. Annie Galloway, spoke deeply to how everyone collaborated together to make things perfect.
“We don’t want to talk about something we think so strongly about and not provide it justice. I’m very independent but once you find others that hold the same values to the subject matter, one realizes just how great collaboration is. As one of the most fulfilling and visceral forms of making art, this collaboration between all of us has found us making something special from the ground up. This is why it is so important for all of us to get everything just right,” Galloway said.
Providing both reward and challenge beyond what any of them expected when they met last year, the cast and crew have been intently working with this project while juggling others at the same time. Along with Galloway and Rom are Malia Yang, and Autumn Ike will be performers. Senior Art Studio Major Maren Legeros will be doing makeup, while Senior Theater Honors and Psychology Major Bethany Davidson will be doing the costumes. The only male and sophomore in the production, Philosophy Major Noah Davis, will be working on the sound. Lastly Senior Kit Baumer, Theater Honors, will be doing the lighting.
“Giving someone solidarity with what they struggle with or providing a perspective for those who have no idea, the entire performance is very visceral.”—Nikki Rom
For Baumer, as the only lighting person in the department, her skills at live mixing and manual queuing are always in demand. For ctrl the lighting is different from the normal light plot as the lighting just so happens to be as important as any of the characters. The one and only source of lighting will be hanging light bulbs. Baumer spoke to how important it was to get the lighting down perfectly.
“They have been very flexible with what I’ve had to work with. Almost as second characters, I spent all of touring week working on them. As the only lighting is from the source of nineteen light bulbs, it has been an interesting challenge working with such a different lighting plot. Ascetically, it’s pretty amazing. It essentially represents the brain itself as each bulb represents the neurons that connect everything in your brain,” Baumer stated.
Expressing what visually can’t be seen, the majority of the show will be non-speaking. Since so many of the struggles of mental illness cannot be communicated with words, the lighting and movement will do the speaking. With everything being shown having meant something to the cast and crew, the show will be ambiguous enough that everyone will have different attachments of interpretation. While so many Gusties may hold a mentality to everyone that they are always okay, ctrl is looking to be create an conversation with anyone that has dealt with mental illness in addition to anyone who wants to learn more.
Ctrl will be playing February 27-March 5 in the Black Box. One ticket for students and faculty are available for free online, while tickets will be $4 for non-student adults.
-Dan Vruno