Photo by Rob Laughter on Unsplash
By Miles DeRosa, Staff Writer
Assistant professor of English and creative writing Monica Prince directed her students in performing a collaborative, choose-your-own adventure style choreopoem titled, “Given The Option” that detailed life amid the pandemic, on April 27 over Zoom.
A choreopoem is similar to a play, but blends in multimedia, dance and, of course, poetry. The term was coined by innovative poet Ntozake Shange to describe her widely celebrated piece, “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf.”
The show utilized Zoom polls throughout to ask audience members questions that would affect the next chapter in the show, such as, “Are you going to wear a mask?” or “Will you attend that wedding online or in-person?” Using this flexible format, they were able to touch on many different issues relating to the pandemic, but the common theme throughout was mental health.
Junior Grace Oxenreider performed a poem about the difficulties of being an extrovert during this time of extreme social isolation, while junior Kayla Bush performed multiple poems about how this isolation can impact pre-existing mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
The show also utilized a multimedia component, often showing images that would place audience members in a specific place and time during the pandemic. The most powerful example of this came near the halfway point, when the production turned its focus to the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing protests against police brutality..
The show was forceful in its presentation of these issues and no punches were pulled when discussing any issues but particularly this one. As soon as the videos of clashes between the police and protestors began, the tone of the show changed dramatically. The poet who read afterward gave a powerful testimonial performance about the emotional toll that watching people “who look like me” get killed in the street takes on an individual.
The show not only focused on the emotional impact of these events but also commented politically on the way they were handled by the state. When talking about the police, the show begged the question, “Who watches the watchers?” Instead of answering this question in a way that would have felt disingenuous, this was left open-ended for the audience to ponder. There were also disdainful mentions of police tactics used to subdue protests, including referencing the reports of police throwing protestors into unmarked vans.
Earlier in the show, when addressing those who continued working, the word “essential” was dubbed over with the word “sacrificial,” in reference to the fact that people of lower socioeconomic statuses have been the most vulnerable to COVID-19.
The show did a very good job honoring the political and social implications this pandemic has had without it overshadowing the personal turmoil and trauma also experienced in these times. Prince was able to weave together these different pieces of student work into a cohesive narrative that reflected on both the global and personal trauma of the pandemic, as well as where those two things intersect.
Prince also allowed her students to voice their discontent with the new reality of attending class online. Students lamented the lack of true education going on in many of these classes and talked about the emotional drain of trying to fully engage with the virtual barrier.
The show wrapped up quickly, addressing the riots on the capitol on Jan. 8 before quickly moving to the present. As we stand on the verge of leaving the worst of the pandemic behind and hopefully, with the help of vaccinations, returning to somewhat normal life, “Given The Option” asked us to reflect on the things we could have done, or wished we did, differently.
It is incredibly important in times of great turmoil that we have shows like this that force us to reflect on the changing times. Without this crucial reflection, we risk repeating the same mistakes. Art can be a powerful tool to communicate but also to challenge the audience to view things from a new perspective. Prince and her class achieved just that with “Given The Option.”
