Photo by Janina Reynolds
By Ashley Brickner, Arts and Entertainment Editor
The Susquehanna Theatre department will premiere its production of “The Wolves,” a one-act play by the American playwright Sarah DeLappe on Friday
“The Wolves” debuted off-Broadway at The Playwright Realm in 2016. The production follows a girls’ soccer team as they wrestle with internal and external conflicts. Through her work DeLappe portrays the intricacies of adolescence. DeLappe imbues the play with humorous dialogue and insightful nuances that embody the experience of American girlhood.
DeLappe received the American Playwriting Foundation’s Relentless Award for “The Wolves.” The play was also a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and the Yale Drama Series Prize. While the play is DeLappe’s most well-known production, she worked on the TV series “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies,” and co-produced HBO Max’s “The Regime.”
Even though the faculty choose the student-directed plays, Katrena Wagner, a member of the class of 2024 and the director of SU’s performance of “The Wolves,” expressed her excitement for the play’s debut. She said that the play encapsulates the teen girl experience in a humorous way while still highlighting heavier themes. As she eagerly awaits the debut of the performance Wagner stated: “I hope that the audience gets to experience all the emotions that the cast goes through. From the funny lines to the sadness. The play is truly what it is like to be a teenage girl and all the experiences and emotions that are a part of it.”
While Wagner emphasizes that the heavier themes may be overwhelming for some audience members, she hopes the audience will share her fervor for DeLappe’s play. Wagner is also excited to debut the performance in hopes to highlight the cast and crew’s hard work and dedication: “I am looking forward to hearing the reaction of the audience. We have all put so much work into this show, and I am very proud to be sharing this show with the Susquehanna campus.”
Wagner and the rest of the production team hopes the Susquehanna community will join them for their performance of “The Wolves.” Performances will be held on Friday, March 29, and Saturday, March 30, at 7:30 p.m. in the Degenstein Theater. There will also be a matinee performance on Sunday, March 31, at 2:30 p.m.
