Southern Connecticut State University Department of Theatre Presents AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE

Our world looks a bit different than it did seven months ago... at Southern Connecticut State University, the Department of Theatre stands strong despite COVID-19. The department has made necessary changes, to both their curriculum and their season of performances, to accomodate the needs of its students while providing the same opportunities to practice their craft.

SCSU Theatre opens its 2020-21 season in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis with a radio presentation of Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People: broadcasting live on their Facebook page October 9-11th and October 15-18th at 8:00PM. Audience members can engage with each other during the live broadcast in a virtual chat. "We invite you to listen from home, and participate in this prescient radio drama directed by adjunct professor of theatre, Benjamin Curns, who has worked with Elm Shakespeare, our professional theatre company-in-residence, and recently directed Red Velvet here at SCSU."

Written in 1883 and translated from Norwegian by Eleanor Marx-Aveling, An Enemy of the People tells the story of a scientist who discovers poisonous bacteria in his town's water supply. He expects to be hailed as a hero for his life-saving discovery but is shocked to find the town's political machinery bury his report, discredit his reputation, and turn the town's citizens violently against him. The production chillingly nods to our own struggles with the COVID-19 pandemic, the influence of media, the danger of mob mentality, and the difficulty of doing the right thing.

SCSU Theatre welcomes back alum Gracy Brown as narrator of his pertinent production of An Enemy of the People. Brown's acting credits include Elm Shakespeare Company, Collective Consciousness Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, and Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She is teaching acting classes at SCSU for the 2020-21 academic year.

The production boasts a talented array of students; from department newcomers freshmen nursing major Majesty S. Moore (Petra Stockmann) and Secondary Education/History major Daniel Santana-Gonzalez (Dr. Thomas Stockmann), to department veterans Matthew Lopes (Mayor Peter Stockmann) and Ariana Harris (Morton Stockmann). Behind-the-scenes, sophomore Nick Moran stepped into the role of Production Audio Rehearsal & Recording Engineer, while junior Kat Duffner and freshman Ellis McGinley worked as Co-Dramaturgs.

From the student dramaturgs: "The play as it is translated is distinctly relevant to a plethora of social issues, including classism, overbearing government, and the government-sanctioned censorship of scientists, educators, and citizens . . . Despite the fact that Enemy was written over a hundred years ago, the play remains hauntingly familiar to a modern audience. From a corrupt government with a totalitarian head, to people in media being too easily swayed, to a disbelief in science, to a society that places capital gain above the health of unknowing victims, we have to wonder how we have allowed this to continue."

Catch the broadcast on Facebook and participate in the live chat at 8:00PM on October 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, & 18. Follow SCSU Department of Theatre on Instagram for news and upcoming events!

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