SWARTHMORE COLLEGE’S DEPARTMENT OF THEATER PRESENTS ABOUT FACE: MARKING THE UNMARKED, AN ORIGINAL SOLO PERFORMANCE PIECE BY STEPHEN GRAF ’09

January 22, 2009-The Department of Theater at Swarthmore College presents Stephen Graf ’09’s Honors Solo Performance Thesis, About Face: Marking the Unmarked, on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 13 and 14, at 8pm, and Sunday, Feb. 15, at 2pm, in the Frear Ensemble Theater, Lang Performing Arts Center (LPAC). About Face explores the extremes and intricacies of race within the cultural landscape of the here and now through a white anti-racist lens. This original performance is the Honors Dramaturgy Thesis of Jacqueline Vitale ’09.

Using monologues, poetry, movement, song, and performance art, About Face questions both the invisibility and power of whiteness in a contemporary U.S. context. About Face combines and layers socio-cultural observations and personal narratives in search of a way for white people to confront the persisting problems of unawareness, privilege, and hatred that accompany whiteness. The piece asks not only how do the many facets of whiteness affect current race relations but also from where do white people build their base in the effort to fight racism.

Stephen Graf ’09 is an honors Theater major with an honors minor in Interpretation Theory and a course minor in Linguistics. He has acted in the Department of Theater’s productions of Harold Pinter’s Old Times, Dea Loher’s Innocence, Frank Wedekind’s Spring Awakening, and in the Drama Board’s production of Michael John LaChiusa and George C. Wolfe’s The Wild Party. He was the dramaturg for the Department of Theater’s production of Caryl Churchill’s Vinegar Tom. He has created various solo and group performance projects prior to this production, on topics such as humor and sexuality.

The production is written, conceived, and performed by Stephen Graf ’09. Maria Moller is the director. Jackie Vitale ’09 serves as dramaturg. Maria Shaplin is the lighting designer, with Cara Arcuni ’09 serving as assistant lighting designer. Daniel Perelstein ’09 is the sound designer. The faculty advisor for the production is Erin Mee.

The performances are free and open to the public without advance reservations. Each performance will be followed by a reception in LPAC lower lobby with the cast and crew of the production. For further information, contact Liza Clark at lclark1@swarthmore.edu or call 610-328-8260.

OCTOBER 17, 2008 – The Swarthmore College Department of Theater presents Pop Out, the Honors Playwriting Thesis of Jessie Bear ’09. This new play explores the deceptively simple task of living by your own rules in a world where everyone else knows better. Performances will be Friday and Saturday, November 14-15 at 8 pm, and Sunday, November 16 at 3 pm in the Frear Ensemble Theater, Lang Performing Arts Center. Lisa Jo Epstein Ph.D, Artistic Director of Gas & Electric Arts theater company, directs the production. The design team is James Murphy (lights), Simon Harding ’99 (set), Dan Perelstein ’09 (sound), and Laila Swanson (costumes). Joshua Lipman ’09 is stage-managing. Erin Mee is the faculty advisor for the production.

In varied ways, the characters of Pop Out approach the question, “How can you take ownership over a life that’s not your own?” Jenny is a highly successful OBGYN who’s got it all but is haunted – literally – by doubt. Dolly is a college student who has it all, too, until a medical diagnosis changes everything. Eleanor examines life up close, but doesn’t really touch it. Elisa is happy but miserable. Jackie just wants confirmation that she’s following the right instructions. These very different women will learn that it’s impossible to get comfortable when everything – your family, your friends, your job, your body – is apt to betray or surprise you. In a world where everyone’s got an opinion and the signals are mixed, it’s hard not to wonder: who’s writing your script?

The clean lines and revolving walls of Simon Harding’s set, complemented and sculpted by James Murphy’s lighting and Laila Swanson’s costumes, will capture and reveal the characters’ internal struggles in a seemingly organized world. The cast features Sasha Shahidi ’09, Judy Browngoehl ’09, Isa St. Clair ’11, Jane Abell ’11, Sara Lipshutz ’11 and Ben Hattem ’12, each playing multiple roles.

Jessie Bear ’09 is an Honors Theater Major with emphases in playwriting and acting and an Honors French Minor. She has studied playwriting extensively at Swarthmore with Adriano Shaplin of The Riot Group and Lizzie Olesker. Pop Out represents her debut as a produced playwright, although Jessie has acted in many Swarthmore productions, including Mamet’s Oleanna, Wedekind’s Spring Awakening, Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, excerpts from Son’s Stop/Kiss and many student-written plays. This year she will also be acting in Churchill’s Vinegar Tom and Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

The performances are free and open to the public without reservations. For more information please contact Liza Clark at lclark1@swarthmore.edu or (610) 328-8260.