FROM THE DIRECTOR:
Good evening, everyone!
I am delighted to have you joining us from far and wide for this virtual production of Scenes from Clarkston by Samuel D. Hunter. This team of incredible students has been working since early December to make this happen, and I’d be remiss not to acknowledge their dedication and willingness to experiment with me. To my cast and crew, you have already done the impossible. I would also like to thank Karla Koskinen for her endless support and advice, as well as David Page and the prop shop for much-needed technical support.
This show, in this format, is a unique challenge in intimacy. How do you create connection without being able to touch? That exploration is something I am thankful for. After our fall production of DISCONNECT, I wanted to embrace the opportunities we have to continue creating in the middle of a pandemic. I connected with this script and these characters' need to be together because, after one year in a pandemic, we're all searching for that dependence and support. This has been my opportunity to transport us all on that journey of a lifetime that we've missed for the last year. All of those thwarted opportunities mirror Jake's struggle to escape the inevitable.
I originally picked this piece up as a substitute, a stepping stone towards something bigger, but through this process I have begun to understand the value of slowing down and focusing on being present with each moment. This process and this show have changed my trajectory in unspoken ways. I know the future of my work will include that mindfulness. This cast and crew of largely freshman students has given me the extensive chance to see and work with new faces, and I have to say, I am impressed but not surprised. I hope you enjoy their perspectives as much as I have.
With all of that said, I hope you enjoy Scenes from Clarkston.
--Bailey Dumlao
