Horacio McDaniels, music theater freshman, said his life was changed by OCU’s production of Reducible, a modernized version of The Crucible in which the townspeople accuse several women of throwing away recyclable products.
The show, which cost $20 for students and lasted four hours, ran March 12-18 in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. McDaniels attended every performance.
“Abigail Williamson was the most relatable character I’ve seen onstage in a long time,” McDaniels said. “People always accuse me of lying and being inconsiderate, but I have to consider my own needs first, right?”
McDaniels said he thinks the play was successful in addressing important environmental issues.
“I haven’t seen or read The Crucible, but I can’t imagine a more powerful scene than when Johnny Porter is accused of emptying a recycling bin into the trash and Elizabeth Porter denies it to protect her husband’s carbon footprint,” McDaniels said. “I’m not one to rave about performances, but I haven’t seen a show this moving since the Mamma Mia! tour last month.”
Despite the praise, McDaniels said Reducible had some flaws.
“I felt like the plot holes, unrealistic props and frequently changing accents worked really well, but the costumes and character development needed some work,” he said. “Goodie Compost’s dress was about an inch too long, which was horribly distracting, and Titubiosphere clearly only works with a method actor.”
Gwendolyn Mitchell, acting senior, said McDaniel’s critiques did not surprise her.
“Horacio forced me to talk to him for three straight hours after he saw the production of Five Women Wearing the Same Dress I directed last year,” Mitchell said. “He raved about the show’s intense moral dilemmas but said he was highly offended that the actress playing Mindy was straight.”
Most shows’ problems could be solved by adding more pyrotechnics or getting better actors, McDaniels said.
“If they would’ve cast me as Abigail Williamson, Reducible would have been perfect,” he said. “I cannot figure out why I haven’t been cast in anything yet.”
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