Tag: theatre

LEAP Fall Retreat: The Girl on the Train

Written by: Isis Hollis

During our retreat in Houston, LEAP students and alums visited the Alley  Theatre once again to watch a performance of The Girl on the Train! Based on the bestselling novel by Paula Hawkins and the Dreamworks film adaptation, the play proved to be another memorable addition to LEAP’s theatrical experiences.

The Girl on the Train follows Rachel Watson (Elizabeth Bunch), an alcoholic whose life has begun to unravel following her divorce. One morning, Rachel receives a visit from Detective Gaskill (David Rainey), who informs her that a woman named Megan Hipwell (Emily Neves) has gone missing. Rachel immediately becomes invested in finding her. Although she has never met Megan, Rachel used to see her and her husband from the train each morning and imagine that they lived a perfect, happy life. With Megan now missing, that illusion is shattered, and Rachel becomes determined to uncover what really happened. The list of suspects is long: from a therapist, Dr. Kamal Abdic (Christopher Salazar), to Rachel’s ex-husband Tom Watson (Chris Hutchison) and his new wife, Anna (Michelle Elaine), to Megan’s husband, Scott (Dylan Godwin–an SHSU Alum), to even Rachel herself.

The story takes us through an exciting series of twists and turns, leaving many of us surprised when the mystery finally came to a close. Kayla and Tania were particularly surprised by the ending, while others, like Britlynn, managed to figure out the twist early. Afterward, we had a great discussion about our reactions to the play, and many of us agreed that it had earned a place among our favorite Alley Theatre productions.

The British accents of the characters also caught some of us off guard, especially those who had previously watched Misery at the Alley. Elizabeth Bunch and Chris Hutchison, who played Annie Wilkes and Paul Sheldon in that production, returned as Rachel and Tom. Many of us find the husband-and-wife duo particularly fascinating to watch because they seem to have a knack for playing characters who either despise each other or are completely obsessed with one another—and sometimes both! Their dynamic creates an interesting on-stage chemistry that made their performances especially memorable.

My favorite aspect of the play was the set. I really enjoyed the way that the stage had been designed to move; parts of the stage raising and lowering to reveal or conceal furniture that changed the scenery. They also utilized a catwalk-like structure above the stage to demonstrate the terrace of Megan’s home, which allowed Rachel’s memories to be displayed over the action of scene below. One of Olivia’s favorite parts was how they portrayed the moving train, through lights and set. Towards the end of the play, the technical team even utilized projection to create train tracks that ran across the stage.

Overall, the combination of story, acting, and creative set design made The Girl on the Train a great watch. We are all looking forward to our next opportunity to experience another Alley Theatre production together!

Many thanks to alums who joined us: Ademide Adedokun, Justin and Chelsea Beiser, and Quinn Kobrin–and to Ademide’s friend, Andrea Alexander.

Number One Fans: Misery at the Alley Theatre

Written by: Allie Plunk

On the first day of our LEAP Retreat, LEAP students travelled to the Alley Theatre for a performance of Stephen King’s Misery. To make this event even more memorable, we were joined by several alumni which gave us a group of 19 people!

​The story follows author Paul Sheldon (Chris Hutchinson), who has finally written what he thinks will be his masterpiece when he gets into a car accident that shatters his legs. He is rescued by his self-professed “number one fan,” a woman by the name of Annie Wilkes (Elizabeth Bunch). At first, she acts normal enough, but things very quickly take a turn for the worst. Married in real life, the actors gave a wonderful performance, leaving us wondering how they manage to create such believable characters while still going home together each night. Having just seen the movie a few weeks before, it was very interesting to see the difference in the details and presentation of the story as it was adapted for the stage.

​One of the most striking elements of the play was the set. Split into three distinct parts, the set rotated on a turntable to create a seamless transition between the room where Paul is held captive, the rest of the house, and outside. We were all astonished by the level of detail that went into the set, from the numerous images of Paul Sheldon, to the inclusion of a working staircase. Another practical piece of the performance that we enjoyed were the special effects. We had a good time figuring out how they incorporated stage blood and prosthetics to enhance the gorier elements of the story.

​Having finally finished the Misery trifecta– the novel, movie, and play– I found the differences between the three mediums incredibly striking. The novel contained much more prosaic passages, as well as backstory and lengthened character development, especially for Annie Wilkes, than either the movie or play. The movie, however, shifted and condensed elements of the novel, such as the addiction that Paul develops to the pain medication Annie provides him and his reliance on imagination to endure his captivity, while adding in the perspective of the town Sheriff that is investigating his disappearance. The play retains many of these elements, several lines of dialogue taken directly from the movie, though Annie’s characterization relies on much more of the actor’s discretion, removing much of her backstory entirely. Despite these differences, each preserves the core of the story: the dangerous, disruptive nature of obsession.

​Overall, Misery proved to be a fascinating example of how a story can evolve across different mediums while retaining its central themes. Both entertaining and thought-provoking, it was a memorable highlight of our retreat and gave us a deeper appreciation for the art of adaptation.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at SHSU!

by Christina Biello

Following a long week, LEAP students headed to the theater to decompress by watching SHSU’s rendition of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. This group, in particular, had varied tolerance for theatrics. Regardless of our backgrounds, we waited with anticipation for the curtain to open and allow ourselves to be immersed in the fictional world.

The story takes place in Denmark during the Elizabethan era and focuses on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, lesser-known characters from Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Even though it appears light-hearted, it profoundly touches the audience; leaving a significant impact, its exploration of human nature and existential questions left me thinking throughout the night.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern frequently find themselves in predicaments, unsure of their location or identities. Further, the actor’s line delivery elicited plenty of laughter from the audience. This quickly turns when the narrative causes viewers to ponder the pointlessness of trying to rationalize a world lacking logic or purpose.

The two attempt to control their destiny as the crisis worsens but are trapped in a cycle of events beyond their influence or understanding. As the characters fall to an unavoidable end, the audience is saddened as we realize what has happened to the characters we have come to adore.