'Shadow Box' production comes from the heart

By Ryan Pence

November 13, 2006 | The Utah State Theatre Department has a little known secret that up till now has been known primarily to those within. The secret consists of a secondary set of plays put on as independent projects by aspiring directors or other theatre students.

The plays are selected and then produced by the Theatre Student Association (TSA). This season of independent projects has already included "Red Light Winter," and the TSA is proud to present "The Shadow Box" by Michael Cristofer and directed by senior Sam McGinnis.

"The Shadow Box" follows the story of three cancer patients who have been told and are aware that they do not have very long to live. Each of the patients lives in a small "cottage" where they are close to constant medical attention and where they can live the remainder of their days as free from pain as possible.

The play explores the pending and the uncertain. It explores how each of the patients looks upon death, whether they embrace it, or fear it. It also shows how others cope with the impending finale of life or the life of a loved one. For instance, in Cottage 1, Joe (Luke ByBee) tries to remain calm with his wife who refuses to accept the fact that he will never be coming home again, and he also looks back on life and asks himself what it was all for.

In Cottage 2, Brian (Jon McBride) shows an example of someone who knows he hasn't got much time so he tries to do all he can to take his mind off the situation-- write books, visit places he's never been-- though in the end he is truly scared of death.

As for Cottage 3, it is inhabited by Felicity (Jan Hines), who is an elderly woman who has accepted death but doesn't want to leave this life till she says goodbye to one of her daughters, Claire.

It would be almost appropriate to say that E. Kubler-Ross, M.D. said best the meaning of this play:

"There are five different stages that a person will go through when he faces the fact of his own death: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. These stages will last for different periods of time, they will replace each other, or exist at times side by side. But the one thing that usually persists through all these is hope."

And indeed the meaning of the play is hope, because after all is said, hope truly is all that we have left-- hope that what we have done with our lives has been adequate or well spent; hope that we've done what's best or most important; hope that we are indeed going to live on after death and that we will be going to a better place. And on the flipside, hope that we, as the soon bereaved, and that our loved ones are free from pain and that we help them see this step in life through with love.

This production, directed by Sam McGinnis, truly comes from the heart. It comes through as a definite pet project of his. Passion for the subject matter is clear, and he does a very good job of getting the actors to add meaning and depth to an already meaningful play. As such, Sam dedicates this show "to his sister, Anastacia Belle McGinnis, who has survived cancer for the last year."

The cast under the direction of Sam does a wonderful job. The supporting roles add weight and strength; they all help round out the production.

The production opens tonight, Monday, Nov. 13 at 10:30 p.m. and continues tomorrow night, Tuesday, at 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. All performances are in the Black Box Theatre (FA224). Admission is FREE.

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