Lafayette Campus News (www.lafayette.edu), September 18, 2007 — On Nov. 13, 2002, Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks came up with the idea that she could write a play every day for a year. The world premiere of her play cycle, 365 Days/365 Plays, is now being performed as a yearlong national festival in major cities and communities around the country. From Nov. 13, 2006 to Nov. 12, 2007, over 700 theaters will create the largest collaboration in the history of American theater. Lafayette College Theater will be one of the participants.

Each participant is responsible for producing one week, or seven plays, of the cycle. Lafayette will be participating in week 46 of the cycle. The plays will be performed in single evening performances from Sept. 26 to 29 at 8 p.m. in the Williams Center for the Arts. Tickets are $2 for students, $3 for faculty and staff, and $6 for the public, and can be purchased by calling the Williams Center box office at (610) 330-5009.

A brown bag preview will be held noon Monday, Sept. 24 in the Black Box Theater in the Williams Center. A free lunch will be provided.

The plays range in length from one to five pages. Three additional short plays exist outside of the play cycle. These plays are “The Constants.” Theaters can choose which of these plays or how many of them they would like to perform during their week, but at least one of them must be performed at every performance.

The plays for each week can be performed in any way that the group likes. They can be performed once a day or all in one day, as a reading or as a full production, in English or even in a translation. Parks encourages interpretation of her works.

Michael O’Neill, associate professor of English and director of theater, will be overseeing and producing the production, but the plays will directed by 11 students.

These student directors are English and American studies double major Cassandra Bradley ’09 (Coal Township, Pa.), English major A.J. Ernst ’09 (Lawrenceville, N.J.), Carolyn Fast ’10 (Rockaway, N.J.), A.B. engineering and English double major Charles Felix ’08 (Brooklyn, N.Y.), psychology major Kelly Hess ’08 (Prospect Park, N.J.), economics & business and English double major Chris Jupitz ’08 (Gradonville, Md.), English major Megan Kaesshaefer ’08 (Philadelphia, Pa.), psychology and interdisciplinary double major Jackie Macri ’09 (Malvern, Pa.), Daniel McDonald ’10 (Palmerton, Pa.), English major Caitlin Thompson ’08 (Cooper City, Fla.), and Elizabeth Witmer ’10 (Santa Barbara, Calif.).

Hess is excited about the opportunity to direct part of the production. “I think that we [the students] will bring new elements to these plays that a lot of other theaters cannot. Each of us does not have much directing experience (most of us just from high school, other classes, or small works in the Fringe Festival) and I do not think that this fact is a handicap at all. Hopefully these plays will show fresh perspectives and support the new generation of artists.”

She also spoke about the significance of Lafayette participating in the largest theatre collaboration in U.S. history. Hess says, “I am very excited that Lafayette is taking part in this theatrical collaboration. It really gives our school the chance to be on the map, regarding theatrical works, which I don't think it had the chance to do in the past. We are participating in an event with schools that are known for their theater programs, as well as theaters all over the world.”

Fast concurred with Hess, saying, “I think participating in this project is going to benefit Lafayette in many ways. Our theater program here is growing, so receiving this kind of publicity can only help us. It is also a huge honor to partake in this kind of a collaboration with so many famous actors, directors, and designers across the country.”

Cast List

"1st Constant" dir. Daniel McDonald

• Someone -- Sriram Gopalakrishnan ’09 (Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia), electrical and computer engineering
• Someone Else -- Jesse Kalatchi ’11

"2nd Constant" dir. A.J. Ernst

• TBA

"3rd Constant" dir. Charles Felix

• Character 1 -- Rich Beatty ’08 (Milford, N.J.), history & government and law

"Play (Condemned Version)" dir. Kelly Hess

"(Again) Perfect" dir. Jackie Macri

• Character 1 -- Keara McCarthy ’10 (Montclair, N.J.), English
• Character 2 -- Ingrid Warner ’11

"Reel" dir. Cassandra Bradley

• Lucky -- Isaias Rivera ’09 (Elizabeth, N.J.), government and law
• Less -- David Bucholtz ’11
• Lucky 2 -- Charles Felix

"A Play for George Plimpton (and John Ritter)" dir. Liz Witmer

• George Plimpton -- Brett Lambie ’09 (Upper Montclair, N.J.), art and geology double major
• John Ritter -- Chris Duru ’10 (New York, N.Y.), history

"Selling Out" dir. Caitlin Thompson

• Copper -- Charles Felix
• Charley -- Chris Duru
• Joyce -- David Bucholtz
• Man -- Nat Costa ’11
• Woman -- Sara Peterson ’10 (Hampton, N.J.), economics and business

"Splitsville" dir. Megan Kaesshaefer

• Handholding Man -- Isaias Rivera
• Handholding Woman -- Sara Peterson
• Woman Holding Tray -- Zara Piracha ’11
• Butler -- Ben Swartout ’11
• Ballerina – Treyvon Jackson

"The Worst" dir. Carolyn Fast

• Full Plate -- Sriram Gopalakrishnan
• Empty Plate -- David Bucholtz

"Goodbye New York" dir. Chris Jupitz

• Man -- Rich Beatty
• Woman -- Clara Fisher '10 (San Jose, Calif.), international affairs
• Old Man -- Isaias Rivera