Crowds to be educated, entertained by ‘Speech’

A woman scrutinized a group of University Players board members after they passed out posters for the new play “Speech and Debate” outside of the Buskirk-Chumley Theater during Bloomington’s PRIDE Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual and Questioning Film Festival.

The posters read, “Are the homos recruiting your children?” But despite their offensive diction, the posters were actually mocking oppression group tactics such as those used by the infamous Westboro Baptist Church.     

“We’re hoping that it will show the harshness of oppression but also be enough to grab people’s interest to come and see the play,” said junior Sarah Twait, “Speech and Debate” ensemble member.

Much like the blatant character of the posters, the play directly addresses some of the most controversial topics of modern society.

“It had a really good message, but it’s a show not many people are brave enough to do because it puts issues like abortion and homosexuality immediately in your face,” said freshman Julian Ramos, “Speech and Debate” ensemble member. “I’ve never done a show before that takes these topics and just puts it out there without being afraid.”

The play, written by Stephen Karam, is about three teenagers who are involved in a sex scandal in Salem, Ore. With a dark comedic twist, the play deals with contemporary issues such as sexual identity, teen pregnancy, conformity, self-acceptance and friendship.

“It’s really new, and that’s what makes it so attractive,” said Stephen Hammoor, director and Indiana Daily Student opinion editor. “Its content is full of dark humor, and there will be points where you laugh but then hopefully might second-guess yourself as to why you’re laughing.”

The production will be Hammoor’s 10th but his first full-length production with the
University Players.

The show is set to open 7 p.m. Friday at the Studio Theater with another showing at 10 p.m. The play will show Saturday at 10 p.m.

Working with Hammoor will be stage manager Catie Connors, a design team and a six-member ensemble who will rotate roles for all three shows.

“I like to work with ensembles because it builds a great unity with the cast and gives them each a perspective of the oppressed and the oppressor,” Hammoor said.

Hammoor said he hopes the play will have the same effect on the audience as it does the cast.

“I hope we have an audience that needs to be there or an audience that is willing to explore with the people on the stage,” Hammoor said. “I hope it leads to an understanding and leads them to have a conversation with the cast after the show, but also after they leave.”

Hammor said while directing he pulled from his own life experiences, and he hopes it is evident in the final product.

Freshman Christine Conigliaro said she plans to attend the play and said theater has great potential to form a personal intimacy with the characters on stage.

“I think people will be accepting of the issues in this play, and I hope it opens their minds to how much theater can influence our society and the community around us,” Conigliaro said.

Twait said she agreed with Conigliaro and said the issues discussed are something we all can relate to because oppression is something we all have to fight.

“I hope people see it to broaden their spectrum of current events and issues teens and college kids are facing,” Twait said.

In regard to current events, viewers are challenged by Hammoor to recognize the underlying complexity and not just write the dark comedy off as all laughs.

“With the recent suicides and extreme acts of oppression, we need to realize that these are issues that are being faced right now by many high school kids and even college students,” Hammoor said. “Outside will be GBLT groups with information, and my hopes would be that people reach out for information on discovering these things for themselves. That’s what’s beautiful about this play, it creates a starting point for
conversation.”  

Hammoor finished by saying it is the mere existence of these controversies that offend people but the fact is that they need to be addressed.

“I want to see this play because it is an experience of intimate personal theater realism,” Conigliaro said. “These topics need to be faced, and I think it will force people to be at the edge of their seats.”