LONE BRICK THEATER COMPANY’S METAMORPHOSES REVIEW

Zoe Sweet

I had the pleasure of attending Lone Brick Theater Company’s Metamorphoses. This play ran from March 26th to April 2nd in Latham Hall. Lone Brick Theater is an off campus theater company that allows for current Widener Students, Alumni, Staff, and community members to put on a play a semester. The cast included Ann-Marie Aves (Laundress, Eurydice, Baucis, Lucina, Narrator), Aliyah Batot(Woman by the water, Alcyone, Pomona, Psyche, Narrator) Jared Bernatowicz (Zeus, Erysichthon, Cinyras, Narrator), Christopher Cauffman Cooke (Orpheus, Ceyx, A, Philemon, Narrator), Lisa Cocchiarale (Scientist, Laundress, Erysichthon's Mother, Nursemaid, Narrator),Jattu E Fahnbulleh (Midas, Therapist, Narrator), Sascha Gruden (Laundress, Aphrodite, Sacred Tree, Q, Narrator), Andrew Larkin (Silenus, Hades, Phaeton, Eros, Narrator), Maggie McCann(Iris, Oread, Narrator), Kirk Reichart (Bacchus, Hermes, Poseidon, Apollo, Narrator), McKenna Stine (Midas's Daughter, Hunger, Myrrha, Narrator), and Leo-Paul C Wahl (Vertumnus, Buyer, Narrator). The director was R.A. Reutter and the crew included Bless Rudisill, Stephen Sherman, and Luis Aguilar. This was an amazing, raw, and perfected play. Each sense portrayed a different story, and the progression from each one was flawless. The use of water, lights, and music enhanced the play to a point that the viewer felt so immersed. The cast was amazingly put together and brought their characters to life. I was able to talk to two cast members about their experience in the play and in the theater company. The first is McKenna Stine, a first year biology student. “I play Midas’ daughter in Midas, Hunger in Erysichthon, and Myrrha in Myrrha, along with various supporting/background characters. Midas’ daughter is really fun because she is about 5 years old and allows me to bring out that fun-loving, childlike energy that we so rarely get to express as adults. Hunger is super amazing to express because it lets me express the power that I hold, she is truly a powerhouse. Insane, certainly, but so powerful. Truly a girl boss. Myrrha is an entirely different beast. She digs into that deep pain of unrequited love and the feeling of being forced to do something you never wanted to do. It is extremely emotional and heart wrenching, but also extremely relatable when you get to the bare bones of the concept of the scene.” McKenna’s acting was so powerful as she played such complex complicated characters. McKenna has been acting for a very long time and you can see her talent while playing Myrrha. Myrrha has such a devastating story and the pain Myrrha felt was shown through McKenna. “I would not have traded this experience for the world. This show is so out of my comfort zone in the best possible way. And the atmosphere is so safe and supportive, it is the greatest play I have ever done, by far,” McKenna said, and we are so glad she was a part of bringing this production to life.
The next performer is Leo-Paul Wahl, a sophomore Biomedical Engineer. Although the only reason he was in this play was because of a bet he made with a fellow cast member, he still did an amazing job bringing Vertumnus to life. “I play the character Vertumnus, which I relate to because we are both outgoing, slightly hopeless romantic, and funny,” he said. This does not give nearly as much credit to his spectacular performance. Leo-Paul made everyone laugh and rode for his love story. He left me with a powerful statement, “Never be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, your next favorite thing could be right around the bend. ”This play was a must-see, edge-of-the-seat production, congratulations to the whole cast.