Theatre Students Probe Human Experience on Stage March 27-28
Ryan Haddad, shown performing in New York, will explore disability and sexuality March 27-28 in his original performance piece, ‘Hi, Are You Single?’ (Photo courtesy of Ryan Haddad)
DELAWARE, Ohio — Three Ohio Wesleyan University seniors will explore what it means to be human in their Department of Theatre & Dance senior capstone project productions.
Kristen Krak of Granville, Ohio, and Haenny Park of Seoul, South Korea, will portray a middle-aged couple caught in the tension between love and fear in “The Sound of a Voice” by Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang.
Ryan Haddad of Parma, Ohio, will explore the complex intersection of disability and sexuality in his first original solo performance piece, “Hi, Are You Single?”
The free performances will begin at 8 p.m. March 27 and 28 in the Studio Theatre of OWU’s Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware. Both plays contain adult themes and language.
Krak said she has been “pushed to explore” during her OWU theatre experience. She and Park chose to produce Hwang’s play because they felt compelled to delve into its many layers.
Producing “The Sound of a Voice” has been like assembling a puzzle, Krak said, and audiences will be invited to help put the puzzle together.
“The piece is very much a journey, and I hope the audience will enjoy going on it with us,” she said.
Haddad was inspired to start working on a solo performance after participating in a New York City workshop with acclaimed performance artist Tim Miller, who has visited Ohio Wesleyan four times.
While “Hi, Are You Single?” deals with Haddad’s own experiences of discrimination within the gay community, he said the play addresses a part of the human experience to which everyone can relate.
“I’m a gay man with cerebral palsy. Those are the specifics of my story,” he said. “But overall the show is an exploration of how we see ourselves and how we see each other, and that’s totally universal.”
To reserve tickets, call the Department of Theatre & Dance at (740) 368-3855 from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets are free, but seating is limited, so reservations are strongly recommended.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers 86 undergraduate majors and competes in 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Ohio Wesleyan combines a challenging, internationally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities to connect classroom theory with real-world experience. OWU’s 1,750 students represent 46 U.S. states and territories and 43 countries. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” listed on the latest President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, and included in the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists. Learn more at www.owu.edu.