So as I said, I saw a play in Grand Rapids last week written and co-directed by my friend, Kelsey. It is about 4 high school girls, Ellie, Stacy, Leah, and Beth, who want to take a trip to another country during their summer after graduation. Of course, being high school students, they can't foot the bill for something like that. They make a deal with their parents that if they follow certain conditions that show they can take care of themselves in a foreign place (i.e. no cell phone, carry everything they will use for the month in a backpack), then their parents will pay for this trip. They soon discover that their last month of high school will change in more dramatic ways than they could possibly imagine.
Carrying everything they will use that month in a bag means 3 outfits for the whole month, just soap to bathe and clean those 3 outfits, and no makeup. Cars are a convenience, too, so they must ride bikes. They can only eat meals at home with their families, so they have to figure out lunch each day, too. Throughout the process, they learn a lot about themselves, community in general, and the people around them whom they would never pay attention to previously.
For example, Leah talks to her Ellie's next-door neighbor. The two girls find out the neighbor is a writer. In exchange for writing journals about their experiences that month, the neighbor will pay for materials to make prom dresses. Would Ellie have ever spoken to her neighbor if she didn't use a bike for that month and came in her front door? The four girls also end up meeting everyday in the park where they meet and befriend a few interesting characters.
The month certainly brings more challenges. They start getting unwanted attention for being different. Usually negative attention. Stacy's boyfriend doesn't want to take part in this new lifestyle and meet the new friends she is making. They find it harder and harder to stick together and complete this month, but eventually end up following through the whole time.
One of the best scenes is towards the end when they juxtapose (not sure if I'm using the right word) the finale dinner with the four girls, their parents, and all the friends they have met to the pre-prom dinner their friends go on. On one side is a beautiful, vibrant, new community of people enjoying themselves. On the other side- a proper, elegant meal but shallow, unexciting conversation.
The end of the play sums up the life lessons what the girls learned during the month, but ends in classic Kelsey fashion. Kind of a "this play could keep going on and on but we'll end it right...here!" I'm very proud of Kelsey. She wrote and co-directed a wonderful play with great words, moments, and character development. It's a play based on many of her life experiences throughout the years. What's more impressive though is the journey leading up to "How a Month..."
No comments:
Post a Comment