Over the next two weeks, Rites and Reason Theatre, the arts branch of the Department of Africana Studies, is presenting two new plays that reflect on historical events in Iran and Cuba.
"Ariel," written by Gina Rodriguez '08 and directed by Liz Morgan '10, addresses the hopes and subsequent disillusionment of a soldier in the Cuban Revolution. "Blowback," written by Benjamin Struhl '09 and directed by Sevita Qarshi '10, examines the relationship between the United States and Iran. "Ariel" runs March 6 to March 9, and "Blowback," March 13 to March 16.
The plays draw on a range of storytelling devices from acting to music and dance to the use of sound itself. In "Ariel," for example, the interplay of noise and silence is complicated by the presence of static and sound distortion, which Rodriguez views as a metaphor for the stalled and warped dreams of a socialist Cuba. The play is particularly topical in the wake of Fidel Castro's recent resignation as Cuban president.
"My goal is to provide a leftist critique of a revolution that the Left adores," Rodriguez said. "I'm working towards that as a Cuban-American, and as my father's daughter, and as an artist and academic."
"Blowback" also addresses revolution and its after-effects. The play's first act traces the history of an American family back in time from 2001, through the Iranian Revolution in 1979, to the 1953 coup that reinstated the Shah. The second act changes direction, shifting its focus to members of an Iranian family and following its narrative from the coup to the present.
Though Qarshi tried not bring too much of her personal history into the directing process, she did find that her Afghan heritage could be an asset in working on "Blowback." She helped the actors portray Iranian characters by basing her direction on observations of her own family members, she said.
Both "Ariel" and "Blowback" are being developed through the Research-to-Performance Method. Created in the early 1980s by Rites and Reason founder George H. Bass and Rhett Jones MA'72 PhD'76, professor of Africana studies, RPM is one of the distinguishing features of Rites and Reason's approach to theater. In RPM playwriting - a sequence of classes in the Africana studies department - students begin the writing process by delving extensively into a chosen topic and adapting their research into a play.
"The RPM system is really great," Struhl said. "I'm sorry more theater isn't this way. The emphasis is on exploration and learning and also having a good time."
"It requires patience," said Elmo Terry-Morgan '74, associate professor of Africana studies and theater, speech and dance. As the principal instructor in RPM playwriting, Terry-Morgan chose to produce "Ariel" and "Blowback" not only for the quality of their writing and handling of research material, but also for Rodriguez and Struhl's commitment to the process of RPM.
Rodriguez and Struhl have been writing and revising their plays over the course of many semesters, continuing to make changes throughout the rehearsal period. Moreover, the process of revisions will not end after the plays open at Rites and Reason or even after they close. RPM treats performance less as a culminating presentation than as one more step in the play's evolution, a chance for the playwrights to get more feedback.
Audience members at each performance are given surveys in which they can respond to the plays. In addition, the performances will continue the Rites and Reason tradition of "folkthought" - a conversation between the audience and the production team that takes place following the Sunday afternoon performances. "The folkthoughts are the most important part of RPM," Rodriguez said.
As a community theater, Rites and Reason directors draw from both Brown and the Providence community, and casts everyone who auditions. This means that experienced performers from both worlds get to work with each other, and new actors can learn from their colleagues. "It ends up being a crash course of sorts," Terry-Morgan said.
The same is true for Terry-Morgan's RPM classes, which pool first-time playwrights and advanced RPM students in the same section so that writers of all levels can learn from each other. "My concept with teaching is that everyone is a teacher, and everyone is a student," Terry-Morgan said.
"Everything is in development," he added. "We're all human. We're all in the process of becoming."
