“February needs a laugh,” says performing arts faculty Eleza Moyer. Eleza directed this winter’s production of Neil Simon’s Rumors, which she describes as “a classic farce—strictly meant to be fun.” Filled with ridiculous situations, misunderstandings and lots of physical comedy, the play is set in the 1980s, when a group of well-to-do friends gather for an anniversary celebration. In every direction, blunder and hilarity ensue.
“This show is a true ensemble,” says Eleza. “Lots of action is happening on stage most of the time, and—as in any comedy—timing is critical. I worked with the students quite a bit on establishing momentum.
“One reason the cast worked so well together was that we took time at the start of rehearsals to simply get to know one another. Typically we just dive into the play, but we spent a lot of time becoming comfortable together. The students are playing a group of friends, after all. The relationships they developed off-stage allowed them to take risks, and the intimacy really transferred to their performances.
“When we finally started running the show—when the students didn’t have scripts in front of them—they began to really listen to one another, they began reacting, and we realized all of these new opportunities. During the performances, the students on stage were constantly reacting—with facial expressions, with gestures—whether they had lines or not. That added to the authenticity and the comedy, which I heard from members of the audience, as well!
“The set is always a huge part of a play’s success. Thanks to Shane Fuller (set design) and Pam Walker (costumes), we had a wonderful context for the students to get into character. In Rumors, the characters are constantly looking out the windows, but we didn’t want walls, so Shane hung giant windows with beautiful lighting, and it all worked so well. That gave the students a great setting in which to share all their hard work.”