The Brevard College Department of Theatre Studies and Institute for Women in Leadership (IWIL) will present Forget Me Not, a moving play about survivors of domestic violence.
The one-act play, which tells the story of five women who have survived domestic abuse, will be performed at 8 p.m. from April 23-25 in The Morrison Playhouse of the Porter Center for Performing Arts on the Brevard College campus.
Forget Me Not is collaboration between the College’s IWIL and the Department of Theatre Studies, and is based on oral interviews conducted by IWIL students. In fall 2008, 12 members of IWIL, under the guidance of history professor and IWIL leader Margaret Brown, conducted interviews with survivors of domestic violence. “It was not easy,” said Carrie Ann Bowen, a junior from New Jersey. “These women we interviewed let us into their lives – and what they told us was hard to hear…”
Other interviewers included Margaret Ann Medley, Emily Barrick, Jessica Crocker, Mavis Figueroa, Jennifer King, Katherine Parnell, Megan Murph, Rebecca Schoonover, Brook Sturgill and Nina Willis. Nine of these students, with the help of Coordinator of Theatre Studies Kelly Carolyn Gordon, went on to turn the transcripts of the interviews into a play. “This was a yearlong project for IWIL, I am very proud of how these women challenged themselves to bring these stories to our community,” said Brown.
In early March 2009, the play was handed over to the College’s Introduction to Directing class; junior Erin O’Rourke, sophomore Kara Ontiveros and sophomore Katherine Parnell, who is also a member of IWIL. After conducting a close analysis of the play, the directors cast Christina Nelson (Violet), Kait McConomy (Azalea), Hunter McCreary (Amaryllis), Kelly Bone (Iris) and Kaitlyn Wood (Zinnia). Wood is also a member of the IWIL program. The entire production team, including playwrights, directors, actors, designers and technicians, is female.
The IWIL women were able to create a moving script, detailing the heart-wrenching deceptions of love as experienced by the five women. These survivors come together to heal a piece of lives once torn apart. “It’s inspiring,” said Nina Willis, sophomore from Charlotte. “I most want people who don’t know anything about domestic violence to have the same experience I did – to understand the world differently after they meet these women.” said Nina Willis.
Play tickets are $10 for adults and $2 for students. 50 percent of ticket sales will benefit SAFE, a Brevard nonprofit that provides programs and services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Tickets may be purchased from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 884-8330.
Following the April 23 performance (approximately 9 p.m.), the Brevard College Peer Health Advocate Team and SAFE will host a Take Back the Night march to raise awareness and support victims of domestic and sexual abuse. The march will begin at the Porter Center Amphitheatre.
The one-act play, which tells the story of five women who have survived domestic abuse, will be performed at 8 p.m. from April 23-25 in The Morrison Playhouse of the Porter Center for Performing Arts on the Brevard College campus.
Forget Me Not is collaboration between the College’s IWIL and the Department of Theatre Studies, and is based on oral interviews conducted by IWIL students. In fall 2008, 12 members of IWIL, under the guidance of history professor and IWIL leader Margaret Brown, conducted interviews with survivors of domestic violence. “It was not easy,” said Carrie Ann Bowen, a junior from New Jersey. “These women we interviewed let us into their lives – and what they told us was hard to hear…”
Other interviewers included Margaret Ann Medley, Emily Barrick, Jessica Crocker, Mavis Figueroa, Jennifer King, Katherine Parnell, Megan Murph, Rebecca Schoonover, Brook Sturgill and Nina Willis. Nine of these students, with the help of Coordinator of Theatre Studies Kelly Carolyn Gordon, went on to turn the transcripts of the interviews into a play. “This was a yearlong project for IWIL, I am very proud of how these women challenged themselves to bring these stories to our community,” said Brown.
In early March 2009, the play was handed over to the College’s Introduction to Directing class; junior Erin O’Rourke, sophomore Kara Ontiveros and sophomore Katherine Parnell, who is also a member of IWIL. After conducting a close analysis of the play, the directors cast Christina Nelson (Violet), Kait McConomy (Azalea), Hunter McCreary (Amaryllis), Kelly Bone (Iris) and Kaitlyn Wood (Zinnia). Wood is also a member of the IWIL program. The entire production team, including playwrights, directors, actors, designers and technicians, is female.
The IWIL women were able to create a moving script, detailing the heart-wrenching deceptions of love as experienced by the five women. These survivors come together to heal a piece of lives once torn apart. “It’s inspiring,” said Nina Willis, sophomore from Charlotte. “I most want people who don’t know anything about domestic violence to have the same experience I did – to understand the world differently after they meet these women.” said Nina Willis.
Play tickets are $10 for adults and $2 for students. 50 percent of ticket sales will benefit SAFE, a Brevard nonprofit that provides programs and services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Tickets may be purchased from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 884-8330.
Following the April 23 performance (approximately 9 p.m.), the Brevard College Peer Health Advocate Team and SAFE will host a Take Back the Night march to raise awareness and support victims of domestic and sexual abuse. The march will begin at the Porter Center Amphitheatre.
Actresses from L to R are:
Christina Nelson, Kait McConomy, Kaitlyn Wood and Hunter McCreary.
Christina Nelson, Kait McConomy, Kaitlyn Wood and Hunter McCreary.
CONTACT:
Dr. Kelly Carolyn Gordon
Coordinator of Theatre Studies
828-966-5500
gordonkc@brevard.edu
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT IWIL:
Dr. Margaret Brown
Associate Professor of History
828-884-4727 ext. 8356
mbrown@brevard.edu
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