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Upstage Presents: Oleanna, November 18-21, 2004
 November,
2004—It’s 10:00 a.m. on a quiet Thursday, and
by all means, Jake Hutchings ’05 should be
sitting through class or dozing in his dorm apartment. Instead,
he has transformed himself from an affable college senior into a
furious, besieged philosophy professor whose career, personal life,
and general mental health are all about to shatter into pieces.
Hutchings is one of two cast members in Assumption’s upcoming
production, Oleanna, a riveting, turbulent play about the
dynamics between John, college professor accused of sexual harassment,
and his accuser, a young female student. Sarah Gower ’05
portrays Carol, the student who charges John with misconduct.
Oleanna first opened on stage in 1992, and since then,
it has sparked numerous heated debates about gender issues, false
truths, and a host of other college-centered arguments. Is attending
college an “entitlement”? What constitutes a “good”
teacher or a “bad” teacher? Has the world become so
politically correct that the truth is impossible to find?
Unlike most of Assumption’s prior performances, Oleanna
doesn’t employ a full cast; nor does it rely on visuals such
as scenery, song and dance, or prominent props. The play is entirely
composed of fiery dialogue between John and Carol, throughout three
acts. Hutchings and Gower admit that this format has been a challenge
for them both.
“It’s a real test of our acting abilities and our memorization
skills,” says Gower. “But it’s been well worth
our efforts.”
The intensity of the play is another factor that the actors have
had to manage. With the absence of images, the pair quickly learned
to convey the urgency of their emotions through their exchanges.
They soon discovered that this came at no small price.
“I’m emotionally exhausted right now,” said Hutchings
with a laugh. “Playing such an intense role is very tiring,
but I know that once we get on stage, the adrenaline will motivate
us.”
Gower agreed. “Being so intense for so long is just emotionally
draining,” she said “But eventually, once it comes together,
it’s energizing.”
Brian Tivnan, Assumption’s theater instructor and the play’s
director, directed Oleanna years ago as the head of Forum
Theatre in Worcester. He realized just how effective the production
could be on a college campus.
“It’s the perfect play for a college,” he said.
“But because of its nature, I knew I needed to find exactly
the right actors to pull it off.”
Tivnan hopes to incite debates among members of the Assumption community.
He has invited one male and one female faculty member to lead discussions
about Oleanna’s unanswered questions after each performance.
“I hope students react strongly to this play,” says
Tivnan. “These are issues they face every day. What’s
expected of them as students? What constitutes sexual harassment?
Why do they even attend college?”
Gender issues are also explored at length in the play. Gower believes
that the characters are so well-developed that audience members
might not immediately identify with their obvious choice.
“There is no real clear winner here,” she says. “The
women in the audience won’t necessarily choose Carol as the
victim, and the men—and all professors—won’t always
root for John.”
Tivnan believes that although Oleanna’s idiosyncratic
format is hard to market, the experience is worthwhile.
“The quality of work here is really amazing,” he says.
Oleanna opens on November 18, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in Kennedy
Hall, room 112, and will run through November 21. Tickets are $8.00;
$5.00 for students. For more information, or to reserve tickets,
call Brian Tivnan at (508) 767-7410 or email at btivnan@assumption.edu
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