One-act plays question the meaning of life

by Mary Eileen O'Connor assistant features editor

If you have ever questioned the meaning of life and your purpose in the world, the two one-act plays presented in Cabrini College's Red Cloud Coffeehouse on Nov. 5, 6 and 7 proved that you are not alone.

The plays, "Minnesota Moon" by John Olive and "The Girl Who Went There" written by Cabrini graduate Katherine Malone, were billed as "two plays about adjusting to life at college," but the were really much more meaningful. Each p1ay dealt with friendship, change, facing the unknown and searching for identity.

"Minnesota Moon" depicts the last night two best friends share before one heads off to college in the city while the other remains to work at a gas station in their small Minnesota town. Set in the 1960s during the Vietnam War, the play is wistful and humorous as the two friends reminisce about the good times they have shared and contemplate the meaning of life on the verge of their separation.

Sophomore Nick Reilly, in the role of Al, and first-year student Chris Swift, as Larry, gave emotionally-charged performances and sustained these emotions throughout the play. Their timing was generally good and, despite the coffeehouse's intimate setting, which would make it tempting for the actors to.keep the volume low, Reilly and Swift were consistently audible. Although the pacing of the play was a little too slow, it reflected the slow, melancholy nature of the friends' last night together. The play contains offensive language and racial epithets, which might be harsh to the tender ear, but they convey the characters' anger and bitterness at a life they can't completely understand and the rebellious nature of the time period.

The character of Kate in "The Girl Who Went There" is also trying to gain a better understanding of the world around her. The play is a humorous look at a Lancaster native's attempt to adjust to college, and life, in New York City. First-year student Jenna Mancini played Kate, described as "a New Yorker in training" by her friend Diana, who is "a native New Yorker" and is played by sophomore Christine Vergara. With Diana as her guide, Kate is experiencing life's uniqueness. Kate realizes how distant she has grown from her small-town roots when her best friend Hollie, played by junior Lisa Nicole Finegan, comes to visit for the weekend. Hollie immediately experiences culture shock when the girls take her to a drag queen fashion show. She is appalled by the changes she sees in Kate, while Kate can't believe Hollie's lack of adventure and her unwillingness to try new things.

All the actors turned out energetic performances, almost over the top at some points, and maintained great volume throughout. The trio had good chemistry and really appeared to feed on each other's energy. Their comedy in a scene in a trendy restaurant that serves such delicacies as "Cuban sushi" was perfectly timed, receiving laughs from the small but enthusiastic audience.

"The Girl Who Went There" is witty, poignant and wellconceived. The play does not have a textbook ending in which Kate and Hollie make up and promise not to fight again. This lack of resolution makes the play realistic because life isn't always perfect. Everyone goes through change and sometimes we have to accept it, whether we like it or not.

"Minnesota Moon" and "The Girl Who Went There" have universal themes, making them very audiencefriendly. They were appropriately chosen to be performed in a college setting. These plays are thought-provoking, leaving the viewer with more questions than answers. Although they take place in different time periods, they both give us a window into the difficult internal struggles teenagers face.