The characters in the new NE and NW Campus production, “Tigers Be Still”, find humor and optimism in the deepest of trenches.
There are four characters in total, each experiencing a struggle unique to them, but they manage to relate in some way.
There’s Grace, played by NE paralegal student Alexis Harrison, a woman going through a breakup that she is not dealing with well. She frequently steals items from her cheating ex-fiancé’s apartment and is often seen with a Jack Daniels bottle in hand. Harrison finds Grace’s spiraling to be sad.
“It got me thinking [that] the best revenge is no revenge,” Harrison said. “It’s to move on and do better.”
Sherry is Grace’s sister, played by NE music student Kaiya Matthews. As a recent art therapy graduate, she is having trouble finding a job. She acts as a narrator and breaks the fourth wall to walk the audience through the events on stage.
She also fills the role of a therapist to Zach, a character played by NE film student Anthony Mazzone. Zach struggles with anger management due to past trauma.
“[Trauma] can really stop you in your tracks and he’s lashing out like he doesn’t know what else to do with himself and his emotions,” Mazzone said.
Brent Alford, a professor of drama on NW Campus and the director of the play said the production balances mental health issues without becoming too cynical.
“It’s not a pessimistic drama about mental health crisis,” he said. “It’s a hopeful, optimistic view of mental health challenges.”
Mazzone and Harrison note the humor in the production. Mazzone said the humor is enhanced due to the cast working well together.
“We find humor with each other,” he said. “It does feel like it’s a sitcom because sometimes the jokes get set up, and I feel like I can hear a laugh track.”
Harrison points out that some of the humor comes from an element of truth in the jokes.
“It’s dealing with real human issues like depression,” Harrison said. “I think there’s humor in that, the absurdity. I like that element. It’s not just a complete farce. There is a depth and morale to it.”
Jakie Cabe is the assistant director of the play and a NE Campus associate professor of drama. He also plays the fourth character, Joseph. Cabe said he pursued the role due to the logistics of needing to fill an older role. He finds that he can benefit students by doubling as an actor and professor.
“I’m a better teacher when I’m acting because I am trained as an actor, so I feel like I’m able to really see the rhythm of things when I’m in the scene,” he said.
The characters connect and run into each other in various ways during the play. Sherry is Grace’s sister but also Zach’s therapist who is Jospeh’s son.
“They all kind of help each other,” Matthews said. “It’s the importance of having a support system.”
Mazzone reflects on the underlying wishes of the characters in “Tigers Be Still” as they work through their trauma.
“Everybody in this show just wants to be happy, or at least have a happy ending in some way,” he said.
