Student-Directed Play Festival

When my friend asked me if I’d like to see the final showing of our Student-Directed Play Festival, I happily agreed. The event was free and held in the under stage of our theater. Senior Yichong “Angel” Li chose “Between the Lines,” a play which deals with the themes of memory, race relations, and gender roles. Senior Kiera Gillock directed the more lighthearted “Crazy Eights,” an eccentric love story between a criminal and her parole officer.

“Between the Lines” charts the college and professional life of the protagonist, Nina, focusing specifically on her relationships with women like her college roommate, mother, and friend Mercedes, who eventually marries the man she loves. We are reminded of how we shape memory and how unreliable it can be.

While “Between the Lines” spans over several years and many relationships, “Crazy Eights” takes place in one night in a New York apartment. Benny, the parole officer, sneaks into former drug addict Connie’s apartment and waits for her to return under the pretense that he is checking to make sure she made her curfew. We learn throughout the scene, though, that he is interested in her and got off her case earlier that afternoon.

Many of the students who were in the performance also had parts in our production of “Hairspray,” which occurred in October. Throughout their time at McDaniel, theater students get to chance to experiment with various characters and roles, making them more marketable and well-rounded after graduation. It’s great to get a chance to watch them perform from show to show and watch their progression!