Between Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning and a host of government scandals, technology and fugitives from justice are at the forefront of our national conversation and several of the Santa Rosa Junior College Theater productions reflect these issues in the upcoming school year.
The first production at SRJC this semester is “Distracted,” written by Lisa Loomer and directed by faculty member John Shillington. A comedy about parents struggling to deal with their son’s possible ADD condition, “Distracted” asks questions about our screen-filled society and the treatment of hyperactive children with drugs.
Theater Arts Department Chair Laura Downing-Lee said that “Distracted” “shows a serious situation in a hilarious way.”
“Distracted” contains strong language and is intended for audiences 14 and over. It premieres Oct. 4 and runs through Oct. 13.
Downing-Lee is also thrilled to be directing “Les Miserables,” the musical based on the classic novel by Victor Hugo. Filled with powerful musical numbers and a cast of 40 characters, this will be the largest theater production SRJC has ever had. “Les Miserables” is set in 19th century France and follows Jean Valjean, a man seeking redemption while evading the authorities during the French Revolution.
“Les Miserables” is intended for audiences 13 and up. It premieres Nov. 22 and performances continue through Dec. 8.
“We have a saying: ‘Put some drama in your life!'” Downing-Lee said. She then enumerated the benefits the theater program offers to every student, including improving people skills. “Theater is live and immediate; it touches people’s lives and gets them to think about things in a different light,” she said. “It is a way of speaking to people about our world as a human being and to open people’s minds in different ways.”
To supplement the dwindling theater budget, the SRJC Theater will present the Piano on the Edge benefit concert, which will fill the old Burbank Auditorium with blues, rock and jazz music on Oct. 19. Pianist and SRJC instructor Rudolf Budginas and other artists will donate their time to raise money for a “trust fund” to help support the needs of art students at SRJC.
Other productions this season include the timeless tragicomedy “The Cherry Orchard” by Anton Chekov. Set in turbulent times, a poor Russian family returns to its old aristocratic home from Mar. 7 through Mar. 16.
Monty Python’s “Spamalot,” a musical adaption of the popular film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” is also on the bill, guaranteed to be “shamelessly silly” and with wonderfully funny musical numbers. It runs from April 25 through May 4. Finally, the Spring Dance Performance is at the Burbank Auditorium, May 9 through 11.
“There is something very powerful about watching your peers perform,” Downing-Lee said. “Theater is a classroom and our students need to try this cultural experience. We have a very good educational program and it shows on stage. Every season we put together a banquet of different experiences.”