SMU’s theater program is lighting up the stage with “Black Snow” this week and weekend.
The show opened Wednesday night in the Greer Garson Theater in the Owen Arts Center.
The play runs Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., with a 2 p.m. Matinee Saturday and Sunday too.
With an Inception-esque plot of a play within a play, and set in Moscow in the 1930’s, it’s unlike anything the theater division has done before. It satirizes the theater world in Russia– the main character, Sergei Leontievich, is a playwright attempting to get published. The play deals with the stress of the theater world, which the actors themselves may feel.
Though the themes in the performance are sometimes dark, as castmember Jon Garrard, a senior, describes it as “ridiculous” and “grotesque”, it’s also lively and entertaining.
The fast-paced play was described as a “marathon” by castmember Ally Van Deuren, a also a senior theater student.
“As soon as the lights go up in act one for the first time, I am almost continuously moving until curtain call,” said Van Deuren.
Cast preparation for the show, led by director Blake Hackler, included “Suzuki training” which, says Garrard, is a high-intensity process of walking, strength training, movements and positions to focus, develop discipline and push the actors.
In addition, rehearsals have been constant for months, as the cast auditioned last spring semester for all the shows this season.
Though putting on a show can be demanding, those involved are far from bored.
Senior Jon Garrard notes while the process of play production, from audition to rehearsal, has been the same as previous ones, “in this play, theatre rules are broken, the ridiculous is welcomed, and it is overall a very stylized piece.” He notes Hackler encourages actors to get crazy, trying new things each time they perform.
“A lot of the best moments in the show came from us fooling around or making a mistake and it ending up being brilliant,” said Garrard.
“My favorite part about theatre is telling the story to audiences and bringing them into our very odd and very specific world,” said Van Deuren. Many of the cast’s seniors even hope to pursue acting in the professional field next year.
Megan Harrington, junior, is excited to see the show Saturday night. She’s attending to see her Art of Acting professor on stage.
“Growing up, I did theater,” she said. “I love that in college I’m able to go back to an old hobby and see a great show.”
Tickets are available through the Meadows website. Tickets are $13 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $7 for students, faculty & staff.
