Students flock to hear their own 'Voices'
"Diversity" has become a buzzword at the University, but this weekend the term will not be discussed in a forum on race or discussion about unity, but in a unique dramatic compilation known as "Voices of the Class." For the third year now, Spectrum Theatre will stage excerpts of outstanding admission essays from the first-year class.
If you want to go, though, you better get your tickets fast. Although the performance runs from Friday to Sunday in the Old Cabell Hall Auditorium, which seats almost 800 people, Saturday night is almost sold out.
Fourth-year College student Kate Porter, Spectrum Theatre's artistic adviser, said one of the most challenging parts of the production is transforming the essays into scripts because they were not originally intended for performance. But it's almost even harder to have to turn people away from the ticket booth.
For the show's producer, second-year College student Shane Liesegang, the biggest obstacle was coordinating the technical aspects of the play while simultaneously coordinating publicity - but it's been working.
When several students approached the show's Lawn table to ask if tickets were sold at the door, Liesegang answered "Yes," but warned that Saturday night almost always sells out in advance.
Second-year College student Kurt Mitman saw "Voices" last year and was not surprised by the rapidly selling tickets.
Mitman said that when his roommate's essay was performed last year, it was interesting to see how his friend had represented himself to the University.
"Overall, it was interesting to see the different perspectives that everyone in the class was coming from," Mitman said.
"First years should go" to the production, Liesegang said, "because it's as much their work as it is ours. The first year I went I realized, 'Wow, this is what my class did.'"
Out of about 100 essays passed on by the Office of Admissions to Spectrum Theatre, Liesegang said he chose 19 for performance.
"They range from amusing to wildly funny to very touching," he said. "People write about whatever they feel will get them into college."
He added that while there is a wide range of voices portrayed, including heavy stories about abortion, divorce and abuse, there are lighthearted moments as well.
"But I don't think it's as much about experiences as it is about perspectives," Porter said. "It's not as much what the essay was about as the perspective from which it was written."
Both Porter and Liesegang noted that "Voices of the Class" is a worthwhile experience for the entire University community. Plus, "it's some of the cheapest theater on Grounds," Liesegang said.
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