Ole Miss Theatre students perform during a dress rehearsal of Marisol.
Ashton Dawes I The Daily Mississippian
Ole Miss Theatre will present “Marisol,” the third production in its Breaking Boundaries season, tonight at 7:30. Directed by Amanda Wansa Morgan, “Marisol” will rouse many questions for its audience. Those brave enough to see it may have to ask themselves, “What do I believe?”
Set in New York City, “Marisol” follows a young Puerto Rican woman as she navigates a post-apocalyptic scene, captive as a result of celestial warfare. Although the plot of the play is relatively simple, its complexity derives from the dark themes and difficult questions entwined with the script.
“It’s provocative. It asks us questions. It’s got elements of humor. It’s got elements of shock,” Morgan said. “It serves as a vehicle to question what is real and what is not.”
Marisol is riddled with tough themes such as wavering faith, blind trust, the importance of relationships and the difference between good and bad.
Jade Genga, a senior in the BFA musical theatre program, plays the role of Marisol.
“Marisol thinks she has been neglected by God and angels only to find out that she has been protected all along,” Genga said of her character. “In the play, she no longer has that protection, and the story is how she deals with that.”
The character of Marisol is onstage during the entire performance, and as such carries most of the difficulties of her universe on her shoulders throughout.
“This show is very in your face,” Genga revealed. “It will make the audience comfortable and uncomfortable until they realize all of the insanity that happens in the show has reality in it.”
“Marisol” contains adult language, adult situations and violence.
“Lots of violence,” Morgan emphasized. “It’s definitely for mature audiences only.”
Along with these warnings, “Marisol” should come with the warning of breaking all boundaries, just as the theatre season’s theme suggests.
“There are a lot of events in the play that seem unrealistic and improbable,” Morgan said. “In fact, these events happen in the reality of the play but definitely cross into what we hold as conventional as human beings in 2014 and break that, too.”
“Marisol” is written in such a way that not a single audience member will be unaffected.
“Whoever sees this show will realize that it breaks every boundary that anyone could ever want to break,” Genga said.
The show is both creative and innovative in its design; the technical staff, design staff and actors have all worked hard to bring a larger-than-life performance to the stage.
“’Marisol’ is a truly theatrical experience,” Morgan said. “There are some plays that are based entirely in reality, but this is a play that really brings forth everything one wants to get in an evening in the theater. It’s unlike anything that you have seen here on this campus. It creates a unique theatrical environment.”
“Marisol” will show this weekend and run Tuesday through next Sunday. Tickets can be purchased at the Ole Miss Box Office in the Student Union.
“I hope the audience comes with an open heart and open mind to see this show,” Morgan said. “I want people to put aside judgment and to listen. Theater holds a mirror up to ourselves and asks us questions. This piece does exactly that.”
