2008 Woodie Awards
Play examines student/teacher roles
Jen Quinn
Issue date: 12/4/04 Section: News Stories
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"He said it was a lesson. She said it was sexual harassment. Whichever side you take, you're wrong". This is the tagline for the movie version of David Mamet's play Oleanna, which was performed here by Assumption College's Theater department from November 18th to the 21st.
"It's the perfect college play," said director and producer Brian Tivnan. "Students can identify with Carol and her struggles and the faculty can identify with the professor (John) and the challenges that he faces in dealing with a student on a personal level."
Oleanna centers on the relationship between a student (Carol), played by Assumption Senior Sarah Gower and her professor (John), played by another Assumption Senior, Jake Hutchings. Carol is failing John's course and goes to him for assistance. After some time spent talking, John is accused of sexual harassment by her and his career as a teacher begins to fall apart. John is left with the choice of how to handle these accusations and they all add up to an incredibly dramatic ending that will leave you questioning everything you've just seen.
At the open forum following the performance, Gower spoke of the challenges of playing this particular character.
"At first, I didn't know how to play her, but now I find myself becoming increasingly protective of this particular character," she said. "She is misunderstood and desperately wants understanding. In reality, she is a motivated woman who really wants to get things."
Perhaps the most interesting part of this whole performance is the open forum that followed the ending of the play. Various faculty members from different departments formed a panel and debated the ideas of the play with the audience members. Faculty members that have served on this panel include English Professors Mike Land, James Lang, Rachel Ramsey, and Becky DiBiasio, Social Rehabilitation Professor Charles Stuart, Philosophy Professors Paul Gallagher and Patrick Corrigan, Psychology Professor Regina Edmonds, and Art/Music Professor Nancy Flanagan.
"It's the perfect college play," said director and producer Brian Tivnan. "Students can identify with Carol and her struggles and the faculty can identify with the professor (John) and the challenges that he faces in dealing with a student on a personal level."
Oleanna centers on the relationship between a student (Carol), played by Assumption Senior Sarah Gower and her professor (John), played by another Assumption Senior, Jake Hutchings. Carol is failing John's course and goes to him for assistance. After some time spent talking, John is accused of sexual harassment by her and his career as a teacher begins to fall apart. John is left with the choice of how to handle these accusations and they all add up to an incredibly dramatic ending that will leave you questioning everything you've just seen.
At the open forum following the performance, Gower spoke of the challenges of playing this particular character.
"At first, I didn't know how to play her, but now I find myself becoming increasingly protective of this particular character," she said. "She is misunderstood and desperately wants understanding. In reality, she is a motivated woman who really wants to get things."
Perhaps the most interesting part of this whole performance is the open forum that followed the ending of the play. Various faculty members from different departments formed a panel and debated the ideas of the play with the audience members. Faculty members that have served on this panel include English Professors Mike Land, James Lang, Rachel Ramsey, and Becky DiBiasio, Social Rehabilitation Professor Charles Stuart, Philosophy Professors Paul Gallagher and Patrick Corrigan, Psychology Professor Regina Edmonds, and Art/Music Professor Nancy Flanagan.