September 28, 2018 – Ten student actors in Theatre Santa Fe explore the serious issue of sexual assault on a college campus in their performances of “Student Body” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 11-13, 2018, in the Santa Fe College Fine Arts Hall.
Tickets are $15 for adults; $9 for seniors, children and University of Florida students; and free for SF faculty, staff and students with college identification cards. For ticket information, call the SF Box Office at 352-395-4181 or visit the SF Fine Arts ticket website at sfcollege.edu/finearts.
The New York Times described “Student Body” as “a variation on ’12 Angry Men’ as rendered by 10 perplexed undergrads.” All of the undergraduates are affiliated with their college theater, where the action begins when a young woman arrives to ask advice. She has discovered a troubling scene on a video she took at a party, a scene that appears to show a rape. She cannot decide whether to call the police or delete the file; she cannot tell if the woman was a willing participant or if the man is someone she knows. Stories from the party emerge and as the characters debate, argue and vote about what should be done with the video, they reveal how easy it is for people to see only what they want to see.
“This play is an example of using theater for social change by focusing on discussions rather than solutions,” said professor Terry Klenk, who is directing “Student Body.” “The play has clearly struck a chord because many colleges across the country that are concerned about rape on campus are producing it. Because ‘Student Body’ deals with such serious subject matter, we’re collaborating with SF Counseling Center to have a community discussion after the opening night performance Oct. 11. There will also be an information table in the lobby during the run of the play, so students can get support if they need it.”
Following the performance, there will be an after-show panel of cross-college representatives including Ms. Jasmine Gibbs – Title IX officer, Dr. Kalpany Swamy – Counseling Center, Chief Ed Book – SFPD, Dr. Dan Rodkin – Conduct Officer and Dr. Naima Brown – Vice President for Student Affairs.
“The whole cast represents the diversity of our student population,” Klenk explained. And we’re very fortunate to have the support of the strong technical theater team we’ve assembled—the people who work on sets, costumes, lights and sound.”
According to Klenk, the play does a good job of sparking discussion. “The cast members have their own ideas about the issues involved,” he said, “and the cast has had the same kinds of discussions as the characters in the play.”
The playwright, Frank Winters, is a writer, director and actor who in 2014 received the Clifford Odets Ensemble New Play Commission through the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. He is a graduate of the State University of New York-Purchase Acting Conservatory and a Co-Artistic Director of Strangemen and Company.
For more information about “Student Body,” call Terry Klenk at 352-395-5092.