‘Woyczek’ and ‘The Blue Room’ astonish Monmouth audiences with controversy at Wells Theater

By: Danny Weber
Contributing Writer

Crimson Masque’s productions of “Woyczek” and “The Blue Room” are shaping up for an exciting weekend. The performances will take place on alternate nights throughout the weekend. Both of the shows deal with tough topics, but are geared toward a college audience and are more than just your everyday play. “Woyczek” and “The Blue Room” hope to make you think of them as more than just plays, but rather representations of real life.

“The Blue Room,” a different and contemporary play, deals with relationships and the way they affect each of us. The cast will consist of ten actors: Arjun Ahluwalia, Becca Busse, Kate Drost, Ellen Ehrenhart, Michael Heaton, Blake Lyon, Aubreigh Moon, Mark Mullaney, Tynan Sinks and Sara Youngs. The play is strictly based on the script, with the addition of an original song to the show’s score. Student director Leanna Wilson has been working on the play for about a year. She said it was a bit tricky at times for the actors when it came to kissing scenes, but they were able to work them out and laugh over the goofiness and humor that came out during rehearsals. Wilson describes the play as being done in Realism, which she is fond of, because “if art can’t imitate life, then what’s the point?” Wilson’s upcoming plans include a production of “Annie Jr.” with the communication and theater arts department.

Madness, what drives us crazy and violence is how assistant communication and theater arts professor and director of “Woyczek,” Janeve West, describes the play. West has been working on the production since last October, and started the auditions in January. She says it should be visually stunning, highly stylized, intellectual and passionate. This out of the norm play is full of energy and creativity, and done in a myriad of different styles, including Brechtian, Absurdism, German Expressionism and didactic theatre. West says the play has always intrigued her, and that the cast: Heidi Benson, Lindsay Brogan, Kelsey Cole, Mike Diamond, Stacey Field, Kayt Griffith, Stephanie Haas, Karissa Inman, Greg Malak, Missy Metz, James Shepard, John Wells and Michael Wozniak will put on a great show.