By Caitlin Klutz
Writer
The 2020-21 Pacific Lutheran University Theater Department is presenting Recent Tragic Events, a peculiar dark comedy that centers around a couple on a blind date—the day after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Director Destiny Colville, ‘23, tells us that, “anyone who is wondering about the future is going to love this show. Anyone with strange friends, anyone who has ever questioned whether or not we have free will and anyone who’s ever had an awkward date—or a good one.”
Written by Craig Wright, known for Pavilion and Mistakes Were Made, this play centers around characters Waverly (Cassie Paulson, ‘20) and Andrew (Henry Temple, ‘20) who live in Minneapolis. The two decide to stick to their planned blind date, despite the recent circumstances and news coverage that sweeps the country. During the date, Waverly is preoccupied with thoughts due to a possible personal connection from the event. The date becomes complicated with visits from her neighbor, Ron (Hanne Ferguson, ‘23), an eccentric musician, his girlfriend, Nancy (Adaline McCormick, ‘23), and a character as ‘Stage Manager’ (Nathan Lovitt, ‘23).
The actors will be performing entirely on zoom, streaming to a ticketed audience. Colville shares insights on what makes this different from a show in person. “One of the amazing things about performing on Zoom is that the viewer is able to see what each actor is thinking and feeling for the entire show, which has been an amazing experience as a viewer,” Colville said. “It makes the show feel incredibly dynamic. I think everyone did some excellent work.”
Though it was originally presented in 2003, Recent Tragic Events touches on the subject matter of sudden adversities, something that feels similar to what anyone is experiencing right now. Colville hopes audiences find a message in these performances. “I’d love the audiences to know that they aren’t alone in the way they handle uncertainty about the future, and pain during a tragedy. These characters are so relatable right now.” Amidst a current world-wide pandemic, having a future filled with uncertainty could be the theme of this year so far. Surely audiences will be able to find hope and feel united while watching these performances for themselves.
The performances are presented by Vpstart Crow Theater, beginning Oct. 29-31, starting at 7:30 p.m. It is a pay-as-you-can event, with a suggested $5 ticket donation. Any amount helps the theater department for further events this season. For more information, and to get your ticket, visit the Theater & Dance event page on PLU’s website.
