What if someone gave you the chance to be a part of The Simpsons? There’s just one catch: you have to survive the apocalypse. Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play, by Anne Washburn, is Transylvania’s Theater Department’s latest undertaking, and it’s all about the post-apocalyptic Simpsons.
This production is unlike any other we’ve had, and this became clear before the play even began. As the theater doors opened, the ushers invited the audience to sit on the stage floor where there were orange and brown maple leaves scattered everywhere and a fake campfire in the center with miscellaneous seating around it. Director Drew Davidson explained this unique choice in the program with two reasons. First, he explained that it’s a reflection of a “more primitive version of Theater” when people gathered around fires and told one another stories. His other reasoning was “to immerse [the audience] in the world and get [them] as close to the action as possible.” The audience was given a choice whether they wanted to sit in actual seats or gather on the floor. Most students seemed to choose the floor, with most of the adults and community members choosing the actual seating.
This unusual seating arrangement lasted throughout the first act, entitled “The Very Near Future.” For those on the floor, the performance and actors were so close that it created a feeling of intimacy and actual involvement in the play. Unfortunately, it could be somewhat uncomfortable and a lot of audience members could be spotted constantly shifting around as the act went on.
The seating was not the only interesting part of the pre-show, however. While some audience members were seated and more were being ushered in, several of the characters stepped out onto the stage and began to talk to each other in low tones. This peaked a level of curiosity and confusion within the audience about whether the play had actually begun. Since the hushed conversation of the actors already had the audience’s attention, the first act’s beginning was more natural and less abrupt than most plays.
The second act, called “Then 7 Years After That,” was, in our opinion, the best out of the three. This was also the act that had the best response from the audience with constant laughter and clapping throughout. The positive reaction was probably due to the high energy of the act, which is full of intense surprises, fun musical numbers, and a life-size convertible. Credit should be given to Dance Choreographer Savannah Lambert; the dance sequences were one of the highlights of the show and elicited the most laughter from the audience.
The third act, “Then 75 Years After That,” was when things took a much darker turn. This act features characters from The Simpsons in an intense, dark moment. This final part has a different mood than the rest of the play and has some fairly disturbing elements in it. Despite how weird and strange this act may be, it is worth watching for the actors’ performances. Although the entire company was full of talent and energy, there were two actors who deserve special notice, especially in this third act: sophomore London Dailey (Bart Simpson, Quincy, Businesswoman) and first-year Jordan Strouse (Mr. Burns, Matt, Homer).
Dailey, although not appearing until the second act, gave a stunning performance that showcased her multiple talents and vocal abilities. The characters are masked in the third act, which can give hindrance to some actor’s performances, but this did not hurt Dailey’s acting at all. She was able to carry and convey her emotion to the audience without facial expressions, which truly showcased her well-rounded acting abilities. During her musical moments, Dailey’s voice once again comes through as raw emotion and power and leaves the entire theater silent.
Jordan Strouse is pure talent. He brought an electric energy to the stage that made the play worth attending. What makes Strouse’s performance stand out is the amount of variety he delivers throughout the three acts. In the first act, Strouse gives us a very eccentric and damaged character obsessed with recalling an episode of The Simpsons, but then he moves to a more light-hearted and incredibly comedic performance in the second. Although not really the focal or main character in the second act at all, Strouse holds his own with his comedic timing and spot-on impression of Homer Simpson. Where he arguably shines the most is in the final act as the titular character Mr. Burns. His change in voice, mannerisms, and acting help set a completely different tone for the third act, and he leaves the audience feeling chilled.
While the play itself was a little on the strange side, we would recommend it based solely on the actors’ performances. It was very different from the Theater Department’s recent productions, but this play proved how good change can be. Mr. Burns leaves you confused, hopeful, disturbed, and impressed. Any performance that can make you feel that much in the course of two hours is a performance worth experiencing.
The show will run three more times: Friday, March 2nd at 7:30pm, Saturday, March 3rd at 7:30pm, and Sunday, March 4th at 7:30pm. Also don’t forget to put your Mr. Burns ticket to good use by taking it to the downtown North Lime Coffee and Donuts location for a free donut of your choice!
Co-written by Taylor Mahlinger, Arts Editor, and Aaron Martin, Managing Editor
Some Eagles will not fly to D.C.
After a team climbs the mountain that is winning a Super Bowl in the National Football League (N.F.L.), it is customary to yell, “I’m going to Disney World!” And why not treat oneself to a vacation to the happiest place on Earth? After all, the journey to the Super Bowl is considered one of the most brutal in all of sports, alongside that of the legendary Stanley Cup in professional hockey. For the Philadelphia Eagles, this is their first successful completion of this treacherous journey. The city of brotherly love, the rough and tumble city that gave us Rocky, cheese steaks, the Declaration of Independence, and the Fresh Prince (all of equal importance) was finally able to produce a Super Bowl championship team as well.
Although this is a fair question to ask, it is first important to remember that the precedent of athletes skipping a visit to the White House to meet the president is not a new one, nor is it a partisan one. Matt Birk, former center for the Baltimore Ravens, refused to visit the White House in 2012, citing his disagreement over President Obama’s stance on Planned Parenthood. In 1984, Larry Bird declined a visit to President Reagan’s White House, simply saying, “If the president wants to see me, he knows where to find me.”
So, why is this year any different? Why write a story about something that happens almost annually? Well, the reason for this story is pretty simple; this year there has been direct and public disagreement between the President of the United States and athletes who play in the N.F.L.
If you’ve been living under a rock the past couple of years, I’ll fill you in on the nature of this disagreement. For the past couple of N.F.L. seasons, many players have been protesting what they feel is social injustice by kneeling, raising a fist, or locking arms during the pre-game playing of the National Anthem. These players are protesting the treatment of people of color in the U.S. by law enforcement officers. Although many citizens support these protests, many people have deemed them disrespectful, uncalled for, and unpatriotic. The most notable critic of these protests has been our current president.
President Trump has been very outspoken and unapologetic in his disapproval of these protests, often using Twitter to criticize N.F.L. commissioner Roger Goodell and players who have knelt during the anthem. He even expressed his disapproval during a campaign rally in September for then U.S. Senate candidate Luther Strange in Alabama saying, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these N.F.L. owners when somebody disrespects our flag to say ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he’s fired.’” In order to further demonstrate his point, he once more yelled, “He’s fired!” These comments sparked a new wave of protests the following Sunday, with entire teams kneeling during the playing of the National Anthem and other teams opting to remain in the locker room during the anthem altogether. Vice President Mike Pence went as far as to leave a Colts game when members of the teams knelt for the anthem before the game.
As the argument and disagreement have continued throughout the year, it’s become tough to say that sports and politics have been separate entities like they more often than not are, especially in regard to the N.F.L. For this reason, there are several members of the Philadelphia Eagles who are choosing to decline their invitation to the White House. Among those not attending is Torrey Smith, who raised his fist during the playing of the anthem and whose father served in the military. Smith stated, “We’re not protesting the anthem, it’s a protest during the anthem. I understand why people are mad, or may be offended when someone takes a knee. My father, when he dies, is going to be buried with an American flag draped around his casket, being that he served in the Army.”
Chris Long, who refused to visit the White House last season after winning a Super Bowl with the Patriots, will not visit this year with his new team the Eagles. He simply said he didn’t feel it was the right thing to do. Another player who won a Super Bowl last season with the Patriots and who now plays for the Eagles is LeGarrette Blount. Blount did not make the trip with the team last season but has not yet said if he will this year. Malcolm Jenkins has said he will not be in attendance at the White House either.
With these players choosing to skip this visit, they are once again choosing to practice their right to freedom of assembly that they are Constitutionally guaranteed. For whatever grievances either side may have, it is fortunate that both sides are allowed to express them however they choose. These players may not be visiting the White House, but we will certainly see them on the field next season. Or at Disney World.