March 9, 2021
Story and photos by Joe Vinduska
Barton Theatre will showcase six thoughtful plays by David Ives in its hilarious yet introspective spring production “Words and What We Do with Them.” The show will have four runs at the following dates and times with social distancing guidelines being followed and live-stream tickets also available: 7:30 p.m. March 19, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. March 20, and 2 p.m. March 21 in the Fine Arts Auditorium. In-person tickets and live-stream passes (available on select showings) are available now at bartonccc.booktix.com. In-person, general admission tickets are $10 (includes two free children tickets) and patrons are encouraged to purchase them in advance. General admission tickets bought at the door will be $20. Social distancing will be practiced for in-person viewings and masks are required when not seated. Live-stream passes are $15.
Theater Director Miller James said he chose the play for several reasons.
“It’s smart, clever, funny and a thrilling challenge for actors,” he said. “Also, rehearsals can be done with only two to four actors at a time, so social distancing and COVID safety rules can be followed. David Ives is my favorite contemporary American playwright because of his out-of-the-box thinking and his deconstruction of language. He allows us to see words for what they are; and aren’t - without being pretentious.”
Cast member Caden Rowan said working on this play has been a unique experience.
“This production is special due to the smaller cast size, especially on a rehearsal-by-rehearsal basis,” he said. “It's strange to me to be in a show with only 2 other people and rehearse with those few. I know that there are many more people in the show than those I rehearse with, but I rarely see them so it's a little weird to me. It’s going to be a fantastic series of well-put-together shows.”
Kaitlyn Sperka is a cast member and has also helped direct the show. She said although there are a lot of different topics, it feels like a unified production at the end of the day and there is a lot of ground covered.
“The plays transition into each other in such fun ways, not a single moment of this show is boring,” she said. “It's been a blast working with everyone as well. With a show like this you have to cut loose and get comfortable with your castmates quickly for the energy of the show to be what it needs to be, and I think everyone had a really easy time doing that. Audiences can expect a night of unusual fun, familiar theater and to even learn something, too. It has been a really cool experience being a student and getting to direct alongside Miller. I feel like this has been a big opportunity for me and I'm really thankful. I'm looking forward to learning more in the future.”
For more information, visit shows.bartonccc.edu.