High school is an unrelentingly trying experience both physically and psychologically. Tests, sports, more tests and living among the native cliques of the high school social strata make it tough to get by.
Although it can be an unnecessarily rough going, high school can also give you some of your most cherished memories. It should come as no surprise that the high school experience can yield ample material for the stage, as evidenced by AU Player's production of "Everybody Does It."
An original play written by and starring College of Arts and Sciences senior Erin Hannigan and directed by CAS and School of Communication senior Alyssa Wilden, the show is about the fractal alienation of the high school experience and how Hannigan learns that she may not be alone.
"The play is extremely personal, but it is a story I have always wanted to tell," Hannigan said. "Reliving these moments has been extremely cathartic and not at all painful."
The play is based on the diary that Hannigan kept during her junior and senior years, which she often referred to while writing the play. Over the course of three weeks, Hannigan and Wilden sharpened the script.
"I came to her with a finished script and she helped me put it on its feet," Hannigan said. "She helped me keep my voice honest in the work and her staging made me feel completely natural and comfortable."
Wilden said that directing the one-woman show was a creatively fulfilling experience.
"You have to find a way to make the show interesting and versatile and not just a person talking for a half hour," Wilden said. "But that's also the fun part. ... Sometimes, in plays and musicals, you don't get to delve into that too much. There's too many people or not enough time."
"Everybody Does It" plays at the Kreeger Auditorium March 2 at 8:30 p.m. There is a talkback after the show. Both events are free.
Staff Writer Hoai-Tran Bui contributed to this report.
dkahen-kashi@theeagleonline.comcom
