Written by Sabrina Rogers
Another play is on the horizon at Roanoke College’s Theater! “The Wolves” is directed by our very own Danielle Barre, who we interviewed to give us some insight about this show.
Q: “Why did you choose this play?”
A: “We chose this play because it’s a great fit for our program, and our students advocated for it. Whenever…students push for a show, we…pay attention! We…included it in our reading series because the script is great. It’s funny, moving, and feels…true to life. Anyone who [was] or has spent time with high school girls…will recognize these characters. We were…looking for plays with large cast sizes so we could get more folks involved [this] season.”
Q: “What do you want the audience to leave with after this play?”
A: “I hope that people leave with a new…stronger appreciation for the depth and complexity of adolescent girls’…lives. There’s…richness and rawness here that we often forget or…ignore. This play won’t allow us to do either. We’re confronted with the fierceness and playfulness inherent in all these girls. As we watch them try to make sense of their personal…political beliefs, relationships, and hopes for the future, we can begin to reevaluate our expectations of what…girls are capable of.”
Q: “How does location affect the interpretation of the play, especially it being a staged reading?”
A: “We…try to get our staged readings out of the theatre and into a new space on campus. For this reading, we hoped to be on the soccer field. That, unfortunately, didn’t work out…we sought out someplace that would protect us from the elements and…keep the field in view…Our aim is for the location…to enhance the performance, whether that’s putting the location into context, helping…[audiences] connect to the material, or giving…actors a bit of inspiration that a traditional set would give them. Ultimately, our main reason for getting out of the theatre is to better serve and connect with our…community. We’re always open to collaboration…with other departments and organizations!”
Q: “What has been the biggest challenge, as a director, with this show?”
A: “Similar to…last staged reading…this script is complex…The characters have multiple conversations simultaneously, talk over one another, and…change thoughts mid-sentence. It’s a lot to track!…Figuring out how much movement we could…add to the reading to enhance the performance without taking away from the actor’s ability to read their scripts was a challenge. I’m fortunate that it wasn’t solely my challenge…because the cast members were wonderful collaborators. We worked…to…solve all these problems, and I’m…proud of the results!”
“The Wolves” will be performed at Pickle in Colket at 2pm on January 27th, with free admission, so come out and support the Theater of Roanoke College!
