by Jeffrey Stanley
On Nov. 30, the BFS Upper School's IB Theatre II seniors presented an outstanding afterschool hour of smart shorts at Second Stages, the students' ongoing performance series for their self-produced IB theatre projects. The entire show is always run entirely by students, both onstage and behind the scenes as directors, producers, set designers and crew, with teacher Catherine Clark serving as their faculty advisor.
This November 30thshow included 5 short pieces in a variety of genres and styles but all featuring a mature and decidedly female perspective on life, exploring divorce, death, dating, disillusionment, and humans' endless quest for something called happiness. Despite the seemingly bleak terrain the results were often hilarious and uplifting.
I. Marlene King's touching, bittersweet and funny memory play Now And Then was co-directed by Madeleyn V. & Victoria L., and featured the same set of four women, first as teens at a slumber party full of hope for the future while also dealing with divorce, sexuality, pregnancy and growing up too fast, and then years later as mature adults wistfully reflecting on their lives.
Second Stage's student producer Bianca L. also wrote and performed her solo performance, A Not So Fine Romance, in which she combined her powerfully sung renditions of classic showtunes with spoken word, about an angry and jaded woman just wishing she could find an honest man out there someplace. The flashy but simply staged piece evoked Ntozoke Shange'sFor Colored Girls...and was directed by Oscar P.
Zac Coffey's haunting and poetic drama The Meaning of Enchantment, A Ghost Fable, a nonlinear play about the ghosts of a young girl, a woman and two men who meet in an old house, was presented as reader's theatre and directed by Erin C.
For musical fans, Mimi G. belted out "Something's Coming" fromWest Side Story in a scene directed by Adina H., but the show's closer was Christopher Durang's hilarious dark comedy Funeral Parlor, a two-hander directed Livia B.
This polished and professional evening is not to be missed. Look for the next Second Stages event to be announced in the spring semester.
Fall Second Stages (Led by the IB Theatre II Class)
Faculty Advisor....................................................Catherine Clark
Lighting Designer...................................................Jonathan B.
Producer...................................................................Bianca L.
Emcee Willa R.
Now and Then
Written by I. Marlene King
Director(s): Madeleyn V. & Victoria L.
Cast: Zoe B., Erin C., Jessica C., Katie C., Bronwyn E., Giovanna M., Olivia P. & Sofia S.
A Not So Fine Romance
Written by Bianca L., Lyrics by Dorothy Fields, Cole Porter, James Michener & Oscar Hammerstein II
Director: Oscar P.
Cast: Bianca L.
The Meaning of Enchantment, A Ghost Fable
Written by Zac Coffey
Director: Erin C.
Cast: Bronwyn E., Giovanna M., Will M., Dylan S.
"Something's Coming" from West Side Story
Written by Arthur Laurents, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Director: Adina H.
Cast: Alex D. and Mimi G.
Funeral Parlor
Written by Christopher Durang
Director: Livia B.
Cast: Becky G. and Jose U.