Kenneth Lonergan’s award-winning play, “This is Our Youth,” is now showing on campus at the Dennis and Cheryl Woods Theatre.
This gritty yet eloquent coming of age comedy is set in the early 1980s and follows three young adults in Manhattan trying to navigate the oftentimes murky journey to adulthood.
“These three characters are on that cusp between youth and adulthood,” director Bradley Myers said. “They’re all into drugs. They’re all into living in the moment. And yet, they’re trying to find a sense of purpose in their lives.”
Myers said the small size of the cast gave the actors the opportunity to delve more deeply into the development of their characters.
Carlos Sanchez, who plays Warren Straub, said that he and the other actors didn’t just memorize lines. They re-created and lived the backstory of their characters.
“I wanted to familiarize myself with Warren and the era,” Sanchez said. “I looked up different musicians and watched the shows that were referenced in the play. I would even save pictures on my phone of the places that Warren talked about visiting.”
Myers said the small number of roles also made it possible to double-cast the play.
Not only does double-casting provide a built-in understudy ”” a necessity during COVID-19 ”” it also gives theater-goers the rare opportunity to see how actors’ individual personalities influence their roles.
“There’s a lot of variance between how each character is interpreted by the two different actors,” Myers said. “And both interpretations are equally viable. It’s really quite fascinating.”
Warren, the antsy and slightly awkward 19-year-old who steals $15,000 after getting kicked out by his money-laundering father, is played by Sanchez and Tyler Murphy.
Dennis Ziegler, the charismatic but hot-tempered drug-dealing friend who tries to help Warren make a return on the money, is played by Wade Pierson and Andrew Mickelson.
Jessica Goldman, the introspective and idealistic woman who captures Warren’s attention, is played by Kathryn Andres and Brianne Avina.
Avina, Mickelson and Murphy perform Nov. 2, Nov. 4 and Nov. 6. Andres, Pierson and Sanchez perform Nov. 3 and Nov. 5.
“There’s so much depth to these kids,” Avina said. “It’s not about money, partying or being graft. They’re smart, they’re very intuitive and they’re soft-hearted, really.”
The Dennis and Cheryl Woods Theatre’s small size provides playgoers with a personal and close up experience; it’s thrust stage which extends into the audience allows for an even more intimate setting.
During the two-and-a-half-hour performance, the cast leads the audience through the unexpected and sometimes ironically fortuitous moments that pave the path to self-realization.
“This is a play where you don’t know what’s going to happen next,” Myers said. “But I can tell you that where the relationships are at the end of Act I is very different from where the relationships are at the end of the play.”
The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students, $15 for faculty, staff, military and alumni and $17 for all others. No food, drinks or children under 12 are permitted.
Attendees must bring proof of their COVID-19 vaccination or provide documentation of a negative COVID-19 test performed no more than 72 hours before the show. Masks are required.
