A student is directing a play exploring the repressed anger of five women with the same name.
Student theater group Out of the Box will open their final mainstage production, “Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties,” by Jen Silverman, via a live stream at 8 p.m. April 16 from the Children’s Center for the Arts, which is usually home to the Oklahoma Children’s Theatre.
Sarah Martin, acting senior, is the student director of the production. She said the play is about five women in and around New York City, all named “Betty,” setting off on interwoven journeys of self-discovery and identity.
“I think it’s a really great show for right now because I think all of women are feeling a lot of anger that we have been told we aren’t allowed to feel, and we just have to hold on to it,” Martin said. “This is a show where even as an audience member, you can take a second and let that rage out.”
Martin said she submitted the play to the Out of the Box committee after a friend recommended her to read it. She said she quickly identified with many of the themes and thought it was an important story to tell.
“I have always been told that I am a very opinionated person, and I have been told I am quick to annoyance, and that’s always translated to anger. Traditionally, it’s not a very attractive quality in women,” Martin said. “To see a whole play talk about how anger is a very real emotion that we all go through and we need to understand it and let it happen, I knew I had to submit it.”
Martin said the play will be presented live from the Children’s Center for the Arts, but their rehearsals have thus far taken place over Zoom. Martin said the team moves into the space April 14 and will have two days of tech before the show opens.
“It’s a lot. We’ve been finding unique ways to combat the struggles of Zoom. For instance, I’ve been trying to make some blocking videos, just outlining the path that they’re going to go on in the space,” Martin said.
Martin said each of the women in the show expresses unique forms of rage. She hopes the audience gets a few laughs from the show and can identify with at least one of the expressions.
“We’ve all been there. We know what they’re going through, and I think letting the audience see that and see the characters release that will help the audience feel seen. I think that’s what I’m looking for,” Martin.
Jessica Lomas, acting senior, is playing “Betty 3” in “Collective Rage.” She said her character is a part-time worker in New York City who dreams of being a performer due to an experience she had seeing a show in New York.
“At one point during the show, she goes to the theater for the first time. She sees the performers being loved for just existing, and Betty realizes that she wants to be loved for existing too,” Lomas said.
Lomas said each Betty represents a unique experience and walk of life. Throughout the show, the Betties interact and learn more about each other and begin empathizing with each other.
Lomas said she hopes the audience takes away a sense of empathy for others and a willingness to listen.
“We have all these different characters from different backgrounds, who still share the same thing. It doesn’t matter where we come from. We’re still people, and we still want to be loved at some point,” Lomas said. “I hope people take away from the show to really stop and listen to each other: build each other up instead of tear each other down.”
“Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties” will stream live at 8 p.m. April 16. Audiences can follow Out of the Box on their Facebook or Instagram for updates on tickets.
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