April 12th, 2018 --The Marist College Club of Theatre Arts proudly presents "The Marist Monologues: A Thousand Words," a production that is the moving compilation of anonymous student-written monologues performed by fellow Marist students. The cast shares its singular but connected story of family, anxiety, sexual assault, religion, eating disorders, love, and coming-of-age from the intimacy of the PAR under the direction of Alex Philbin. This year’s performers include Mia Maggiacomo, Liana Frasca, Jessie McFee, Ryan Parbs, Rianna Makow, Brielle Wheeler, Hayley Rae Critchfield, Sarah Gabrielli, Jennifer Gunther, Danny Chon, Erin McCurley, Amanda Dettmann, Lydia Deluca, Caitlyn DeCaprio, Eileen Crinnion, Halli Stewart, Isabella D’Addario, and Valerie Mark.
On the surface, this is a transfer of two-sided storytelling – that of the writer and that of the performer. As an actor, the challenge lies in deciphering the meaning of the writer solely by her work, as the source of the monologue remains anonymous both during and after the performance. In this case, how does one communicate an experience with an authentic and profound honesty that resonates with the intent of the writer? We may wonder if the writer sits quietly in the audience to watch her own story be told, clenching her lips to keep her identity safely secret. Will it ever be revealed? And further, does the performance live up to the experience?
The audience enters to a stage decorated with hundreds of photographs. They are the captured moments of friends embracing, parties with relatives, birthday cakes with partially blown out candles, kisses, pets, vacations to foreign countries, new homes, and congratulations. It is a testament to the title of the piece – “a thousand words.” Each image is the compilation of the thousands of moments before it and the thousands that will follow it, giving the audience insight into the everyday lives of the people that inhabit the stage. It bridges the gap between writer and performer and discovers a commonplace of connection that is never as simple as it seems.
"The Marist Monologues" are the story of all of us. These are the emotions we feel, the trials we face, the insecurities we suffer, and the joys we cling to. While each story is seemingly singular, their entirety exhibits a three-fold connection between writer, performer, audience, and beyond. The identity of the writer suddenly becomes unimportant. Through performance, its meaning transforms from a story that is applicable to one into a story that is applicable to all. The monologue is you. It is your family, your neighbors, and best friends. The monologue is me. Me too.
“The most challenging aspect of performing in "The Marist Monologues" is developing a strong sense of empathy and truth with the words you are portraying. These stories are real and raw; they come from your peers and administrators. Being able to relate but not overextend your relationship with the piece was challenging and something I struggled with. At the end of the day, it’s about honesty and how you can honestly interpret the words given to you, even it is not your experience.” – Mia Maggiacomo
"I found the most challenging aspect of directing "Marist Monologues" to be taking all of the monologues and creating a cohesive show that flowed well. It's difficult to have monologues that cover such an array of topics and yet still have them all fit into the same show, especially when I was given two weeks to direct the show. I had to create a concept that would encompass these monologues as well as create a concept that felt true to me...
The rewarding part was seeing audience members connect to these monologues. This show is a reminder that we all have our struggling moments in life, but we are never alone." -- Alex Philbin
