By Gabby Bonds
Elm Staff Writer
On Nov. 1 and 2, the Washington College Department of Theatre and Dance debuted “Middletown,” a directing SCE by senior James Fordi.
Written by Will Eno, “Middletown” is a play that, although featuring a birth and death, focuses more on the importance of the life lived between those two moments. The play follows the story of Mary Swanson, played by junior Jenna Harper, and John Dodge, played by sophomore Josh Iseminger.
Despite moving to Middletown with her husband in the hopes of starting a family, Mary finds herself to be extremely lonely throughout her pregnancy. Her husband is away for work and is never seen throughout the play. She finds comfort in the company of her neighbor and longtime Middletown resident, John. The two often discuss their shared loneliness and attempts to cope with it.
The play also features several prominent characters such as the librarian, played by junior and Elm Features Editor Ella Kozlowski, the mechanic, played by senior Evan Merk, and the cop, played by senior Sam Steptoe. All of the characters have unique, quirky personalities that can be seen through their dialogue and interactions with each other.
“Middletown” addresses several important societal issues, including substance abuse, police brutality, and suicide. While some viewers may find this content difficult to process or disturbing, a recurring message throughout the play is that we are never as alone as we might think.
This message can be seen in both the kind acts that the characters throughout the play continuously show one another, as well as the intentional emphasis on the fluidity of the word “person,” and the humanity that accompanies this. This sentiment is shared by the director as he encourages people to consider their own impact on each other.
Fordi said that he “encourages people to find their own connection with this show like I did when I first read it.”
Considering WC’s location in Chestertown, most students watching “Middletown” will relate to the ordinary, everyday tone that is conveyed throughout the play’s duration.
“The vibe. It is a play that revolves around that small town feel, and, being in a town like Chestertown, you see that almost everywhere,” Iseminger said. He echoed what many students related to while spending time in the Chestertown area.
WC students were also excited to witness the “vibe” of Middletown, considering that Tawes Theater was packed for both Friday and Saturday’s showings with Saturday completely selling out.
“It’s more of an experience, rather than entertainment. It’s like a trail guide, like a map,” Fordi said.
The show also featured an art show in which students submitted artistic ideas of what it means to be human. People would be able to come at about 6:30 p.m. and look at art before the house opened. While the “Middletown” cast undoubtedly did a phenomenal job conveying important messages surrounding sensitive topics, the show could not have been done without the help of the crew.
“With the art show and designers and actors all working on this production, there is so much creativity happening, and I’m really excited to share it with everyone else,” sophomore stage manager and Elm staff writer Jessica Kelso said.
All of the hard work put into this production clearly came to life at the time of the show. “Middletown” is an important reminder of the necessity of humanity, especially in the face of existential worry surrounding life, death, and everything in between. As the only directing SCE of the year, “Middletown” is a commendable production.