{"id":20635,"date":"2018-02-08T08:44:00","date_gmt":"2018-02-08T13:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=20635"},"modified":"2018-02-14T10:47:57","modified_gmt":"2018-02-14T15:47:57","slug":"utc-theatre-co-presents-elemeno-pea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2018\/02\/utc-theatre-co-presents-elemeno-pea\/","title":{"rendered":"UTC Theatre Co. presents Elemeno Pea"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A carefully planned sisters’ weekend gets derailed in Molly Smith Metzler’s dark comedy.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Leigh-Ana Sharkey was sitting in her dorm, knee deep in the script for Elemeno Pea<\/em> when she realized this was \u201cit.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the first introduction of the character Devon, Sharkey thought to herself, \u201cThis is so me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s how I would react to this situation Devon is thrown in of being in this affluent summer home and thinking: \u2018I don\u2019t even know if I should be able to sit on this couch. It\u2019s probably more expensive than my future<\/strong>,\u2019\u201d Sharkey says.<\/p>\n

The character\u2019s sarcasm, humor and energy had Sharkey thinking, \u201cI want to be her so bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

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What:<\/strong> Elemeno Pea<\/em><\/p>\n

When: <\/strong>7:30 p.m., Feb. 13-17; 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 17<\/p>\n

Where: <\/strong>Dorothy Hackett Ward Theatre, UTC Fine Arts Center<\/p>\n

Admission:<\/strong> $12 general admission; $10 students; the show contains adult language and content.<\/em><\/p>\n

Tickets: <\/strong>Purchase tickets online.<\/a><\/p>\n

Information: <\/strong>Visit UTC Theatre online<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Elemeno Pea comes to UTC, with a twist<\/strong><\/p>\n

In UTC Theatre Co.\u2019s upcoming production, Elemeno Pea,<\/em> Devon meets her sister, Simone, for a girls\u2019 weekend at a home in Martha\u2019s Vineyard owned by Simone\u2019s boss, Michaela. The sisters\u2019 carefully planned weekend gets derailed when Michaela disrupts their visit.<\/p>\n

Playwright Molly Smith Metzler, who also writes for popular TV shows such as Netflix\u2019s Orange is the New Black<\/em> and Showtime\u2019s Shameless,<\/em> originally produced Elemeno Pea<\/em> in 2011. When Director Gaye Jeffers first read the play, she was drawn to the strong female characters and the challenging themes addressed. But she was still apprehensive about how to approach the show and produce it at UTC. Something was missing.<\/p>\n

Then she came across a review for a production of Elemeno Pea<\/em> in Boston last year. The review mentioned how the show had undergone a major rewrite and this was the first time that new version had been produced. Jeffers\u2019 curiosity was piqued.<\/p>\n

After a quick search on Facebook, she found the playwright and messaged her.<\/p>\n

Metzler responded within a day. Accompanying her new script was permission for UTC Theatre to produce the unpublished version, making them the second company to bring the new Elemeno Pea<\/em> to stage.<\/p>\n

Jeffers explains that the new version deepened the characters and added backstory, giving the audience a better understanding for why these characters make the decisions they do.<\/p>\n

Linsey Watkins plays Michaela, described as a trophy wife in most descriptions of the show. But there\u2019s more to her than meets the eye.<\/p>\n

\u201cMichaela graduated from Yale Law. She was the first female litigator. And I have the responsibility of bringing humanity to her,\u201d Watkins explains.<\/p>\n

Behind the scenes, Watkins puts a lot of work into preparing and understanding the character\u2019s complex story. One trick involves writing letters \u201calmost like diary entries\u201d from Michaela. Watkins explains how she writes the letters as if they\u2019re being sent to another character, someone unseen in the show but referenced, someone Michaela must say goodbye to. That parting, or the realization of parting, is tormenting. Backstage, Watkins re-reads these letters to get in the Michaela mindset, feel her wounds.<\/p>\n

Complexity is key<\/h3>\n

The complexity of people, class and family is something Elemeno Pea<\/em> emphasizes.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust when you think you know who somebody is, the playwright reveals something else about them and it throws your preconceived notion out the door,\u201d Jeffers says.<\/p>\n

Sharkey admits that even her character Devon, whom she describes as \u201cvery much an audience character,\u201d is quick to judge and guilty of it throughout the course of the play.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all judge,\u201d Sharkey says, but she hopes Elemeno Pea <\/em>leaves people questioning how they accept (or don\u2019t accept) others at face value, that the audience leaves wondering:<\/p>\n

\u201cAm I losing out on relationships because I judge other people before I get to know them?\u201d<\/p>\n

The cast and crew<\/h3>\n

The company of Elemeno Pea includes Hannah Davis (Stage Manager), Madeline Franklin-Dean (Dramaturg and Assistant Director), Carmin Pebley (Simone), Leigh-Ana Sharkey (Devon), Zack Shreeve (Ethan), Linsey Watkins (Michaela), and Jesse Wilyat (Jos-B).<\/p>\n

The creative team includes Gaye Jeffers (director), Adam Miecielica (set design), Kimberly Davis (costume design), and John R. Burgess (lighting design and technical director).<\/p>\n

See more on flickr:<\/h3>\n

[slickr-flickr search=”sets” set=”72157693414943585″]<\/p>\n

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Watch More:<\/h3>\n

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