By Chris Beswetherick
The College of Fine and Performing Arts opened their abstract a capella play “Family Game Night” on Thursday, October 20 at the DUG Theatre in the most colorful way. Remaining performances will be on October 26-29 at 7:30 p.m. and October 29 at 2 p.m. in the DUG Theater, located in Performing Arts Center 199.
The audience, seated in an arrangement that totally circles the stage, was greeted with a pitch black introduction. The show begins with a child, Lily Mitchell, played by Oceana Dunsire, laughing and running through the stage. She cues the entrance of the rest of the cast with the playing of vibrating bells. As more and more characters fill the stage, the show becomes totally chaotic. Every character is sprinting around the stage, singing only sounds like “hah, he, ah” in a musically beautiful way.
Without pause, the show transitions into showing a couple en route to the boyfriend’s family’s home and the scene is tense. The dynamic between Connie Marshal, played by senior Jacki Campbell, and her boyfriend Luke Mitchell, portrayed by Luke Dooley, immediately appears unstable, like there are levels of power in the relationship. Campbell portrays a rebel daughter, dating a misfit 19-year-old in need of a job. Their intention for visiting Luke’s family was solely for money, creating themes of greed and lies. Nevertheless, Connie’s character is much more respectable and non-violent, making her a subordinate in their relationship. Luke refers to her with slurs, takes too much control and very often speaks as if in sexual control of her. While all of this is apparent to the audience, Connie loves Luke, making his treatment challenging for her to overcome while somehow worthwhile to endure.
Kayla Mitchell, portrayed by Eryn McVay, helps Connie realize the position she is in. McVay’s character is schizophrenic, which is a reason for much of the family drama. Due to her multiple personalities, the family considers her to be untrustworthy and irresponsible, which Luke then utilizes to his advantage. As in many great works of drama, there is a family secret; only Kayla, Connie and Michael (Kayla’s imaginary boyfriend) know about Luke’s abuse toward Kayla.
There is so much dramatic irony occurring, it really does complicate and ultimately stimulate the show. There are even some moments during the performance in which it is nearly impossible to focus on what’s happening because of the overload of movement and song and beats and lines happening all at once.
This havoc was managed well by the cast, and made noticeable via the tech cues. The lighting of the show contributed heavily toward who should be focused on, and what the audience and characters feel emotionally. Without such specific cues, like their cycling of lights through the stage, the show would be unintentionally confusing. Instead, the cast and crew controlled chaos and used that to drive their show.
Behind all of the play, though, was the most peculiar character: Michael, portrayed by Robert Frederickson. He is a huge influence on how Kayla thinks, like the way a spinner in a game dictates the players’ actions. The stage itself was an enormous twister spinning board, with the icons constructed as real furniture placed in every corner. This stage essentially creates the idea of randomness, and the feeling of not being in control. The spinner dictates where all the characters should move, and that has applications to the reality of the play. Michael could be considered as the one in control of Kayla, as many of the lines she speaks are voiced simultaneously by Michael, like he is the one saying them. The symbolism of the stage offers so much for the audience to absorb, and seeing the lighting and movements and sounds of the characters creates a sensory experience for the audience to learn from and enjoy.
The most notable element of the play was the mother, Trixie Mitchell, played by Western voice instructor Heather Dudenbostel. Her portrayal of Trixie made the character appear distressed. Her lines all came out with twinges on very specific words. Ultimately, she is a mother, and to the cast, she truly emulated their struggling parent.
Overall, the College of Fine and Performing Arts’ production of “Family Game Night” contemplates the ideas of love, pain and disability. The play seems more so a chance for students to be taught and entertained, than solely enjoyed. Nevertheless, the cast and crew created a piece of art not to be missed.
