Monologue reveals art in audience

Andy Warhol said that we all have 15 minutes of fame. Freshman Danielle Sacks had her 15 minutes and more this weekend starring in “Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe.” \nSacks appeared in a one-woman show as part of an independent student production at A200 Acting Studio located between the Ruth N. Halls Theatre and the Neal-Marshall Black Cultural Center.\nThe play surrounded the journey of a homeless woman named Trudy searching for the meaning of life. In this performance Sacks takes on lives of nine different characters. Throughout the play the audience learns that all of the lives of the characters are interwoven whether they are related or pass each other on the street.\nIn the middle of the stage sat a dumpster with a faux brick wall hanging behind it. Trash was spread out all over the floor and two TVs faced the audience. The TVs showed an upside-down image of Sacks performing on stage. \n“(Jeff Grafton) worked so hard on that dumpster,” Sacks said. “I love the dumpster.”\nDuring the show, Sacks never changed wardrobe, and the set remained the same; however, different props are pulled forward to signal a character change. The play was a huge undertaking for one woman to perform. \n“She’s nuts, I’m nuts,” director and IU graduate student Harper Jones said. “And (scenic designer) Jeff Grafton is the crazy tree that we’ve all fallen from.” \nFreshman Liz Zabel spoke very highly of Sacks’ performance and the work of the crew. \n“I absolutely loved it,” Zabel said. “Not many actresses could make the changes believable. I applaud her abilities.”\nThe play began when Trudy stumbled out of the dumpster. She and her “space chums” were to meet at the corner of “Walk, Don’t Walk.” Trudy began to pace and rant in frustration over the fact that they were running late. \nTrudy then held up a can of Campbell’s Tomato Soup and a picture of Andy Warhol’s imprint of Campbell’s Tomato soup. \n“This,” Trudy said, “is soup. And this is art. Soup, art, soup, art.” \nIn her first character change, Trudy transformed into a stand-up comedian named Danielle. \n“I worry that if peanut oil comes from peanuts and olive oil comes from olives, then where the hell does baby oil come from,” Danielle said. \nNext, Trudy transformed into a suburban housewife named Judith Beasley who used to sell Tupperware. Now she sells vibrators.\nChrissy, a classic “false hopes” case, came next. Throughout this entire monologue, Sacks was exercising to a workout tape of Billy Blanks. The rhythm of the workout kept in beat with the rhythm of the words, which made the speech hypnotic. \nTrudy then transformed into Kate, a Jewish woman from Long Island. Kate sat in a hair salon reading a magazine article about how one can actually die from boredom. Kate’s character was that of a high-class rich woman who lost the tip of her pinky in a Cuisinart accident, but her husband had yet to notice.\nThe next transformation put Trudy into the body of Agnus Angst, a 15-year-old punk rocker who, earlier that day, got locked out of her house by her parents. Agnus truly earned the title of angst. Her monologue was full of poetry and sadness.\n“The boy in school I loved the most died last year in an overdose, but I don’t mind it,” Agnus said. \nTrudy then saw through the eyes of Agnus’ grandparents, Lud and Marie. The couple was sitting in the living room watching Judith Beasley on TV. Their interaction with Agnus was tense, depicting the complexities of a parent-teenager relationship. \nAfter intermission, Trudy came stomping back onto the stage. She soon transformed into two prostitutes, Brandy and Tina. \nBrandy and Tina drove around while giving insight to a writer about “the life.” Tina was high on crack and had a very prominent lisp. Brandy was very sensual in speech and body language. \nThe play ended with Trudy describing her “space chums” reaction to a play she had taken them to. Trudy called these outings “peak experiences.”\nShe preached about the importance of the audience as she pulled back the curtain behind her to reveal a mirror with “ART” written on it, revealing the audience. \n“To see a group of people assembled in the dark laughing and crying about the same thing,” Trudy said, “that just knocked them dead. They said Trudy, the play was soup, the audience, art.”