‘Really Really’ is really good Virtual production impresses

BY ZOE ANNE RAMIREZ

“Really Really,” a play depicting the aftermath of a college sex scandal, was Pierce College’s first virtual theater production that was impressively yet hilariously performed through Zoom.

Theater involves a lot of collaboration. But with the rise of the pandemic, Pierce’s Theatre department was forced to switch gears and host its plays virtually.

Although this may seem impossible, the “Really Really” cast performed a great show that kept audience members engaged and entertained, almost as if it was in-person.

The play follows characters Leigh (Monique Garcia) and Davis (Kayvan Shaikh) after they spend a night together at a college party. As the play goes on and Leigh’s boyfriend Jimmy (Sonny James Lira) finds out about their flirtatious exchange, Leigh accuses Davis of rape, causing an uproar among the characters.

Throughout the play, each character could be seen and heard perfectly.

Actors needed to move their cameras to mimic motion and interaction throughout the show.

Actors were forced to create their own sets and use many props.

The creativity of the actors shined because actors performed in such a way that made the audience feel like they were within the play’s location, despite actors performing from the comfort of their home.

For every scene, actors changed location depending upon the setting. Although it wasn’t the same background for each character, it worked well throughout the play.

The play was separated into scenes so actors had to create transitions by switching their camera on and off every time a scene ended. This allowed them to tell the story in an orderly fashion and switch settings every now and then.

Nevertheless, “Really Really” was truly an experience. Even during a difficult time, the actors put on a great show despite the challenges of not being physically together. You can watch it on YouTube until Sunday Oct. 4 at 6 p.m.