By Kelli Londono/entertainment editor
Georgia Phillips/The Collegian
South Campus’ last production for the fall, Du-Rang!, consists of three one-act comedies that deal with cynical humor and relatable everyday scenarios.
Director and fine arts instructor Richie Haratine said he has always had a love for Christopher Durang’s work and decided to put three of the playwright’s short pieces into one production.
“I think it’s good to get a variety of flavors onstage,” he said, “with all his many characters and subject matters that he addresses, whether it be death or religion or justice or just the common, everyday difficult situations that we face.”
“The Funeral Parlor” deals with the relationship people have with death and the many different ways one handles the emotions that come with death. “DMV Tyrant” involves a man trying to obtain a license with an uncooperative teller who would rather read a book than give him answers. “Diversions” pokes fun at justice and the courtroom.
Although Haratine will not change anything dramatic for the production, he said that no matter what, every production is different from the original.
“There is always going to be a bit of a twist on some of the reactions and some of the relationships between the cast,” he said. “But that’s mostly just collaborative — just working with a new group of people, finding their strengths and weaknesses, finding bits and charactery things we can do in order to make the scene pop.”
Student Tommie Cook plays the role as the courtroom judge in “Diversions.” Although his character is self-righteous and lackadaisical, Cook said he has not had to do much to prepare for his role. Although not used to comedies, Cook said the director’s job is to put one in roles that may not be the most obvious choice.
“It’s learning how to fit in with the character you play,” he said. “It’s learning how to train us to fit whatever is needed. The director kind of looks at the person who plays the role. It’s kind of part of you.”
Bridget Ayers plays Susan in “The Funeral Parlor” and Policeman One in “Diversions.” She said students would enjoy the nontraditional production because the audience can relate to the scenarios.
“We’ve all been to funerals, we’ve all stood at the DMV, and the courtroom is just zany silliness,” she said. “It takes topics that make us all really frustrated, and it puts them in a light that we can laugh at. Like, you can actually laugh at them at the funeral without feeling guilty and laugh at the DMV lady. I guess it feels good too because he tells her off, and you’re like, ‘Yeah! Tell her!’ It feels like he’s covered something you wanted to say in the past. It’s fulfilling in that way.”
Du-Rang! will begin at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15-17 at the Carillon Theatre in the Joe B. Rushing Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $6 for general admission, $3 for non-TCC students and senior citizens and free for all TCC students, faculty and staff. Reservations are not required, but the theater allows no late seating.
For more information, email drama coordinator Lindy Benton-Muller at melinda.benton@tccd.edu.
