Strung Up On You

By Kelly Waldron 

What if everyone’s soulmate was tied to their pinky with a simple red string? Who would follow that string? Who would cut it loose or get caught in the tangles? 

The “red string theory,” also known as the “invisible string theory,” supports the idea that two soulmates are tied together by an invisible, red string on their pinky finger and regardless of their circumstances, will be pulled to one another.  

Strung Up On You is a student written and created choreopoem which explores the validity of this theory as the audience follows the dynamics of multiple relationships throughout the show. The characters, “Fate” and “Freewill,” represent the two sides of this argument and will get audiences thinking about not only the theory and the relationships on stage, but their own personal relationships. 

In the choreopoem class students read, research and analyze choreopoems for the first half of the semester. The choreopoem professor and director, Monica Prince, explained the class saying that students learn a choreopoem is a series of choreographed poems that can incorporate speech, dance, video clips, yoga, song, par core and more, all blended together on stage and performed like a play before they write and produce their own class choreopoem for the second half of the semester. 

The students chose the concept of the “red string theory,” created the characters, auditioned for parts, got involved in costuming and participated in every aspect of the production process. Watch it come to life on the Degenstein Theater stage on April 26, 27 and 28. 

“I hope this makes the audiences re-examine their relationships… and this might be a wake-up call for a lot of people,” said Prince. 

When asked about the message of the choreopoem, sophomore creative writing and publishing and editing dual-major Ella Baker said, “Love doesn’t look like any one thing—and it shouldn’t.” 

In past years, choreopoem students put together a smaller production in Isaac’s Auditorium, using scripts and occasionally including students outside of the creative writing department. However, a choreopoem performance has never been done before in Degenstein Theater. This year, choreopoem students and students enrolled in the experimental acting workshop are making it happen in nine weeks. It is the choreopoem’s, “most professional performance ever done,” according to Prince.  

“I like allowing the largest amount of creativity possible… and I want the students to take agencies over the show and over their own work,” said Prince. She later described how important it is to give students creative freedom and to let them experiment with their different ideas. 

Assistant directors, Nala Washington and Kaci MoDavis; stage manager, Joanna Lee; director, Monica Prince; choreopoem students and experimental acting workshop students have all worked hard over the last nine weeks. Like any production, those involved had their fair share of frustration and difficulty.  

“There’s such a varied and special pool of people in our class. Although it was difficult to mesh all of our different styles and voices together, I believe that we did the best we could,” said Baker. 

The entire performance weekend is dedicated to Transitions Pennsylvania, which is a crisis center dedicated to ending patterns of violence and abuse. 

Opening night, April 26 at 7:30 p.m., is dedicated to abuse survivors, and will include a talk back on love and violence after the show hosted by Transitions and the VIP Center. The second performance, April 27 at 7:30 p.m., will also include a talk back after the show with the performers about the choreopoem’s message and how it came together. Closing night will be at 2:30 p.m. on April 28. 

Tickets are live at the Susquehanna box office, but they can be bought at the door too. Tickets are free for SU students, $8 for non-SU students and $10 for adults.