Elizabethtown College’s production of “Distracted” opened Feb. 14, and since, performers have been working diligently to ensure audiences are given the best performance possible.
“Distracted” is about an 8-year-old named Jesse who has trouble focusing and listening to what people are telling him. His mother talks to neighbors, professionals and even searches for information on the Internet, all to try to help her son to lead a ‘normal’ life. Many theories about what Jesse has are tested, but it is not until the end that his mother figures out how to go about treating him.
“Distracted” employs a healthy amount of humor in order to connect with a diverse audience of students, faculty, staff and community members.
“The play has required incredibly hard and skilled work from everyone involved. The acting needs to be fast, authentic and multi-faceted, often going from funny to poignant in the blink of an eye. The actors met these demands incredibly well,” Director Terri Mastrobuono said. However, when putting a play together, it is not only the actors that need to be up-to-speed with their performance. There are many other aspects of a stage production that need to be recognized such as the stage management, crew and board operators. There is an immense amount of pressure on each performer and crew member as they complete their production tasks. “The stage manager must be focused and precise each moment she is calling each cue. Each person involved had to be highly prepared going into each week,” Mastrobuono said. That is true for any production, whether it be on a college or professional level. If one person makes a mistake, the whole play could be ruined.
Mastrobuono was quick to mention that the rehearsals have gone very well. “I tend to be a stickler for precision and knowing lines on time. The cast has honored that with great respect, and I appreciate that immensely.”
It was obvious from the play’s first performance that each performer memorized their lines and also did a great job expressing the lines through the actions they performed. Mastrobuono said, “Seeing all these elements come together as a result of the dedication of cast and crew has given me a great deal of pleasure and increases my respect for the students here.” She also envied watching the actors find humor in the piece.
“The theatre productions at Etown are one of the reasons I chose to come here. They are a blast. I have met amazing people and friends for life. It is a way to learn outside the classroom, too,” sophomore performer Lauren Cull said.
Mastrobuono has hopes that this production of “Distracted” can help viewers to take a step back and look for some clarity in what troubles them. “I also like that the play does this with humor and heart,” she said.
Many people have a family member or friend who has symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder and gets a little distracted every once in a while. This play helps to teach people how overreacting and underreacting can appear to that person. The play offers solutions and suggestions on how to approach people with ADD.
The selection process for “Distracted” was done by Etown’s play selection committee, which is made up of two students and the Theater Division faculty. Mastrobuono said, “We read up to 30 plays a year and meet regularly to discuss the strengths, weaknesses and appropriateness of the plays. By a process of elimination and voting, we narrow the selection down to three plays, each in a particular category.” The category for this year’s play was “cutting edge” because of its “contemporary themes and styles.”
Additional performances of “Distracted” will occur on Feb. 21, 22 and 24. Try not to get distracted, and go see the show!