Photo provided by Joseph Peachey
By John Morris, Staff Writer
On Oct. 1 through Oct. 3, Susquehanna’s Department of Theatre put on hybrid showings of Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” and “The Outside.”
Up to 18 students were allowed to watch in person while following proper safety protocols. Only two actresses and the department’s archivist were in person performing, while the rest of the actors and actresses performed through a well organized Zoom call.
Senior Erin Markham, the archivist and head dramaturg for the theater department said, “I was able to watch the process of it being a thought in Dr. Anna Andes head to a fully realized production, which was a wonderful experience to be a part of.”
Sophomore Diamond Marrow, who played Bradford in “The Outside” said, “Performing an existential play via Zoom was not the experience I was expecting for my fall semester. It was nice having my family in a larger part of the rehearsal process! If I had the choice, I would absolutely do another show via Zoom. It’s a creative challenge we all [as actors and actresses] should admire and take part in at some point.”
Marrow was one of the many performers who practiced and performed from their home, having been sent the costume and backdrop to use.
Speaking on the play’s importance, Markham said, “It’s an important show to have done on college campuses, as it does deal with the issues of isolation and gender bias, along with domestic violence.”
“Having the men literally look down upon the women in this version adds to that. In a way, [COVID-19] actually helped make the betrayal of Trifles stronger, and brought The Outside, a show that’s not that well known, to a wider audience,” Marrow continued.
The hybrid performance allowed students who would not have the opportunity to perform in a traditional sense to still participate. Markham commented, “It was amazing to have Precious and Samuel join us from Lagos,” referring to seniors Precious and Samuel Emmanuel who are studying remotely.
