Accidents of Being based on Poetry by Mary Rohrer-Dann; adapted for the stage by Cynthia M. Mazzant
Review, by Monique T. Brodie PhD, MBA
On April 1-2, 2016 Tempest Productions presented Accidents of Being based on original poetry by Mary Rohrer-Dann. Cynthia M. Mazzant created the adaptation for the stage. The play is a mix of spoken word readings and character acting. The compilation of poems covers 150 years of life in the neighborhood as retold by Rohrer-Dann. The State Theatre hosted three shows over two days, before the stage company took the show to NYC and Philadelphia. This review is based on the Saturday, 3:00PM presentation which included a special Talk Back segment between the actors and the audience after an approximately 90-minute performance.
The balcony seats were filled with Rohrer-Dann and Mazzant fans and friends – mostly colleagues from the English Department. They came out a dozen strong and formed a feisty line up to support two of their own. Near the front row were the parents of the youngest actor, 11 year old Miranda Marks and a few Penn State alumni who came to town to support their former Creative Writing teacher. Author and poet Rohrer-Dann was in the mezzanine section and Mazzant took to the stage in a classic suit and hat. Her costume, as with all of the others’, enhanced each of the distinguished characters she read.
The brightness of the low 50s April afternoon was obscured by the blackout shades that covered the many windows in the upper room of the theatre. With capacity seating for about 45, the room bustled with energy. Politely, guests took their seats and quieted when the clock neared 3:00PM. The theater lights were dimmed as a few starting actors took their places. Then, bright lights flooded the stage and the orchestra seats to reveal minimal props: a lighted arch at the entrance and various elements which served as stage seating. Music by David Bruce Smith streamed in, along with the additional actors’ lively voices. The play began. Behind the actors, visual effects were projected on a large screen to set the mood for each scene of the play. Choreographed steps took them from left to right and from the background – forward on the stage while their voices filled the theatre. Mike Waldhier, a dreamy baritone, wooed the audience with humor and sarcasm in perfect pitch as read for the male characters.
The play is presented in two Acts, but the first hour whizzes by from the opening call of a vendor selling strawberries (Waldhier) and the ladies fussing over news gossip in the “Prelude” to Young Marks’ expressiveness as she playfully steals the scene while “Taking Joey for a Walk” midway through Scene 4. In between these scenes of Act I, Elaine Meder-Wilgus in a summer white suit and Lissa Ramirez in spring dress take turns reading poems that are directorially woven together in duet style storytelling. Common themes emerge. Through character presence and posturing, vocal tones, and stage positions the director and actors reveal everything from the darkness of social ills to the whimsy of phony high society. Each character in Rohrer-Dann’s poetry comes alive through the spoken read. Even the ghosts come alive with the subtle eerie music, lighting, and stage whispers. Accidents of Being is an intentional presentation of history and her-story, drawing in the audience with the rhythm and synergy of the five actors.
The final half-hour feels short after the fifteen-minute intermission. But the actors come back to the stage with electricity. The audience can feel the summer heat against bare bodies “Skinny Dipping at Midnight” or imagine Marks’ rosy cheeks when she is “Sledding at Burholme Park”. During the Talk Back segment, Rohrer-Dann shares that the beautiful boy who is spoken of in “Riding the Y Bus with Hermes”, during Scene 4 of the five scenes of Act II, is a youngster she encountered during a commute. As mentioned, after the Finale, the house lights were brought up and the actors returned to the stage for a casual Q&A with the audience. Wine was served and those in the balcony seats moved in closer, some standing in the aisles to take pictures or video record the conversation.
Applause and hoots from the audience confirm Accidents of Being is an outstanding performance presented by a stellar cast. Hugs and praise were offered to Rohrer-Dann for sharing her gift of storytelling through poetry. If you missed the State College performances, be sure to check out the CPT for news alerts. This must-see, like several of Rohrer-Dann and Mazzant’s other collaborations, is rumored to return to the area.
mxr7 says
Many thanks to Monique for her enthusiastic review, and to all of you who attended one of our performances. We really appreciate your support, and were delighted by your thoughtful questions in the “talk-back” afterwards. FYI: Our performances in NYC and Philly were quite successful, with an overflowing crowd at the latter, despite the April snow.