Untitled (Oblivion)
Have you ever had an experience that is hard to describe? Not because it was bad, but the opposite. Something that meant so much to you it was hard to put it into words. I find myself struggling to write this post because I cannot quite articulate how much being in Oblivion changed and challenged me.
This past winter, after Pitt's week long audition and callback process, I was cast in a show titled "Oblivion" by Carly Mensch. The cast list had me in the role of Pam. Through a series of questions, lighthearted confusion, and clarification I went from being the mom to being the 16-year-old daughter. Julie was a deceptively simple role. I am 19, Julie is 16. We aren't that far apart and to be quite honest, I still feel like I understand the absolute chaos that is her life. She is lost, confused, and desperate for answers. I was very much the same way three years ago, and I still am to this day.
As the rehearsal process started, it became clear to me how absolutely powerful the small cast was. Julie, Bernard, Dixon and Pam. Four characters, two acts, lots of drama and lots of laughter. My cast mates were/are all superstars in their own rights. Our director's process involved a ton of self-exploration and impulses. If we felt as though we should move, we did. He would let us know if that fit the show or not (usually he went with the flow). The whole thing was so collaborative and it truly felt like it was five people working as one to make a harmonious show.
This collaborative process reflected and manifested as a show that, at times, hit me very personally. Julie is a teen struggling to find her place in the world. She turns to religion, knowing her secular parents won't approve. To her, finding her place means possibly alienating herself from all she has ever known - yet she does it. Not fearlessly though, and that is why I love Julie. She is real because she is scared. If you saw the show, you would know that her fear often manifested in complete b*tchiness, but that seems real to me. Her life goes from a safe, upper-class soft spot and quickly turns into her constantly on the defense as she directly opposes her family. This isn't to say that Julie isn't still inherently privileged . . . she very much is. However, for the first time in her life, it is challenged.
I am scared and lost for my future. While I cannot personally say that I have turned to God (being that I grew up in an already somewhat religious family) I understand her fear of the unknown. Her dreams seem unattainable and she doesn't quite know how to get there. As a college student, that is essentially my life biography. I have huge goals and a fear of the unknown. I want more and I have a supportive family, but they can never truly live inside my head. I hear you Julie and I wish I could tell her that everything will be okay.
Playing this very real character was hard. Since college, I have dabbled quite a bit in the avant garde. My first taste of realism, specifically with this role, was daunting. I utilized a lot of moments of thought and allowed myself to make mistakes. I found myself often being reminded that Julie is 16 - not a baby, and therefore, does not through hissy fits. She has real concerns that need to pull the audience in and affect them.
My cast mates are an essential part of any success I found. They all made an environment that was open for exploration and allowed for mistakes and fun. In such a deep and heavy play, they found moments of light and laughter that made my experience that much more real and emotional. I am forever grateful for the three other actors (Malcolm, John, and Julia) I spent a month with, as well as my director, Sean Cook. They are the most amazing humans and if I have any right to say this, I am proud of and for all of them.
This wasn't an easy show, but that made it all the better. I don't have much more I could write in a comprehensive fashion, so I will leave you with a quote that has greatly moved me:
"Do things get clearer as you grow up, or do you just get better at settling for smaller answers?"
I will leave you all with that, and I am sending love your way,
Sam
Photocredit to the wonderful Delaney Greenberg
Instagram: @dlnygreenberg
This past winter, after Pitt's week long audition and callback process, I was cast in a show titled "Oblivion" by Carly Mensch. The cast list had me in the role of Pam. Through a series of questions, lighthearted confusion, and clarification I went from being the mom to being the 16-year-old daughter. Julie was a deceptively simple role. I am 19, Julie is 16. We aren't that far apart and to be quite honest, I still feel like I understand the absolute chaos that is her life. She is lost, confused, and desperate for answers. I was very much the same way three years ago, and I still am to this day.As the rehearsal process started, it became clear to me how absolutely powerful the small cast was. Julie, Bernard, Dixon and Pam. Four characters, two acts, lots of drama and lots of laughter. My cast mates were/are all superstars in their own rights. Our director's process involved a ton of self-exploration and impulses. If we felt as though we should move, we did. He would let us know if that fit the show or not (usually he went with the flow). The whole thing was so collaborative and it truly felt like it was five people working as one to make a harmonious show.
This collaborative process reflected and manifested as a show that, at times, hit me very personally. Julie is a teen struggling to find her place in the world. She turns to religion, knowing her secular parents won't approve. To her, finding her place means possibly alienating herself from all she has ever known - yet she does it. Not fearlessly though, and that is why I love Julie. She is real because she is scared. If you saw the show, you would know that her fear often manifested in complete b*tchiness, but that seems real to me. Her life goes from a safe, upper-class soft spot and quickly turns into her constantly on the defense as she directly opposes her family. This isn't to say that Julie isn't still inherently privileged . . . she very much is. However, for the first time in her life, it is challenged.I am scared and lost for my future. While I cannot personally say that I have turned to God (being that I grew up in an already somewhat religious family) I understand her fear of the unknown. Her dreams seem unattainable and she doesn't quite know how to get there. As a college student, that is essentially my life biography. I have huge goals and a fear of the unknown. I want more and I have a supportive family, but they can never truly live inside my head. I hear you Julie and I wish I could tell her that everything will be okay.
Playing this very real character was hard. Since college, I have dabbled quite a bit in the avant garde. My first taste of realism, specifically with this role, was daunting. I utilized a lot of moments of thought and allowed myself to make mistakes. I found myself often being reminded that Julie is 16 - not a baby, and therefore, does not through hissy fits. She has real concerns that need to pull the audience in and affect them.
My cast mates are an essential part of any success I found. They all made an environment that was open for exploration and allowed for mistakes and fun. In such a deep and heavy play, they found moments of light and laughter that made my experience that much more real and emotional. I am forever grateful for the three other actors (Malcolm, John, and Julia) I spent a month with, as well as my director, Sean Cook. They are the most amazing humans and if I have any right to say this, I am proud of and for all of them.This wasn't an easy show, but that made it all the better. I don't have much more I could write in a comprehensive fashion, so I will leave you with a quote that has greatly moved me:
"Do things get clearer as you grow up, or do you just get better at settling for smaller answers?"
I will leave you all with that, and I am sending love your way,
Sam
Photocredit to the wonderful Delaney Greenberg
Instagram: @dlnygreenberg
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