Nickel and Dimed Pretty in Paisley
Umw theatre revival By Jill Laiacona Mina Sollars sums up UMW Theatre's upcoming season in a single word: revival. UMW Theatre kicks off its 202122 season with its first live performances in more than 18 months, presenting Joan Holden's 'Nickel and Dimed,' based on the bestselling book by Barbara Ehrenreich. "Preparing for the first in-person performances on campus in more than a year is such an honor," Sollars, a University of Mary Washington junior, said of the lineup, which kicked off their season in September with a pay-what-youcan preview performance in duPont Hall's Klein Theatre. "We're so lucky to be able to act onstage together once again."
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After an 18-month hiatus, UMW Theatre students, faculty and staff are once again planning an in-person season, producing plays that will be performed in front of a live audience, with COVID protocols in place. Beginning with Joan Holden's Nickel and Dimed, this year's shows reflect the collective pandemic-era conversation that has revolved around society, culture and politics.
Senior Shannon Hardy, who plays Barbara, can relate to how her character's interactions with her co-workers made her more empathetic. "Before coming to Mary Washington, I hadn't been exposed to much outside my hometown, so I also had to grow into someone who was more understanding."
The play's other five actors take on multiple roles. Sollars, who appears as a housekeeper, grocery stocker and restaurant manager, said her favorite scene is one in which Barbara's account of how easily she passed the test to get the job offends her fellow maids. "It's difficult to watch, but it's an eye-opening moment, both for Barbara and the audience." Senior Oscar León also plays several characters, including an immigrant year, Stull said. They directed, produced digital work, learned from seasoned actors who taught online classes at UMW and immersed themselves in special courses like sound design and hand-sewing, bound to make them more marketable in the world of professional theater.
"There's no question that this seems to be an extraordinary moment to engage in the dialogue inspired by Nickel and Dimed," Department of Theatre and Dance Chair Gregg Stull said of the play, which spotlights those who are overworked and underpaid. "Never before have we thought so much about work and what it means to make a living."
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"I think they gained a sense of strength and resilience," Stull said, "that will carry over into everything they do as we emerge from the pandemic."
UMW Theatre will also present the Tony Award-winning drama The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime and its revival of the beloved musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Rounding out the season and adhering to its theme - is Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. "It's a Shannon Hardy (R) as Barbara reacts after provocative play about citizenry, spilling a plate of food on the lap of a leadership and the values that drive our customer played by Amelia Emory society," Stull said. who recently entered the workforce. Based on the bestselling book by Before the pandemic, León said, acting was Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed the only career choice he considered. But traces the author's experiences working the hiatus from live theater gave him the and living on minimum wage for a year. opportunity to discover new passions like The physically demanding labor takes a costume design and stage construction, toll on her aging body, but the people she and begin an arts administration minor. meets along the way open her mind to the "All of these things will make me a more struggles of the working class and reveal versatile artist." how truly difficult it can be to get by in America. Like León, many theater students seized new opportunities over the past
Tickets are available for the future performances online or at the UMW Theatre box office one hour before performances. Klein Theatre's capacity will be limited to allow social distancing, and audience members must remain masked at all times. Patrons will also need to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test before entering the theatre.
Jill Laiacona is the Media Manager, University Relations & Communications at UMW Photos by Geoff Greene
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