On Jan. 20 and 21, the Advanced Theater department staged a production of the play “David and Lisa,” directed by Monica Hall and starring seniors Justin Feinman and Jessica Zoutendyk.
“David and Lisa” was originally based on a book by Theodore Isaac Rubin, then was adopted into both a movie and stage play. It follows the story of David Clemens, played by Feinman, who goes to a treatment center because he believes he’ll die if someone touches him.
At the center, David befriends Lisa Brandt played by Zoutendyk, who has two personalities: one, Lisa, can only speak in rhymes, the other, Muriel, never speaks but only writes.
The play was divided into many very short scenes, after which the stage would fade to black and furniture was quickly rearranged. It gave the play somewhat of a fragmented feel and made the plot somewhat difficult to follow.
However, the performance of the students more than made up for the distracting plot line.
“The seniors dedicated their hearts and souls into these parts,” junior Laura Parker said. “We are infinitely proud of them.”
The main roles were filled by seniors who were thorough and convincing in their parts, from overbearing mother Rachel Davis to the fatherly doctor Sean Geisterfer.
Though not very developed, the other patients in the center earned laughs from the audience, especially senior Alec Beretz, who played Carlos, a rough, singing teenager suffering from delusions of grandeur. Watching the interaction between Zoutendyk and Feinman was raw and touching, leading up to a tear-worthy, heartwarming ending.
Advanced Theater put on “David and Lisa” in memory of Sir Robert Ross, a long time mentor of the Drama department who passed away a week earlier. During the Saturday night show, the cast called his wife, Lady Vesta, to the stage and gave her a bouquet of flowers.
“Sir Robert will live on in all these students,” Lady Vesta said.
The Theater department will also put on a Shakespeare showcase April 17, and their annual musical, “Phantom of the Opera” will be performed May 4, 5, 10, 11, and 12.
