Quanae Miller
Student Life Editor
The TJC theatre program will be putting on the production of The Circle Mirror Transformation, by Annie Baker, from Wednesday, Nov. 15 through Saturday, Nov. 18. Wednesday through Friday there will the production will go on at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday there will be multiple performances, one at 2 p.m. and another at 7:30 p.m.
The play takes place in a community center. It is about individuals who take an adult drama class, for various reasons, and their unique journeys towards healing.
TJC Theatre Professor, Amy Dawson, will be putting on her first main season production, The Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker. She had to overcome a great deal of obstacles.
Normally the Theatre program puts on two shows a semester but this semester they’re putting on three shows. Instead of casting each show separately, they had cast all three shows at the same time. Usually directors would have the stage for rehearsal for about six-weeks but Dawson and the cast have only been in the theatre since Nov. 1.
Because of that they have had to rehearse all over campus in between classes. Dawson claimed that on one occasion students walked through their rehearsals which was a nice obstacle because the actors have had to learn to focus through any disruption.
Dawson chose to direct The Circle Mirror Transformation because it had never been done here. The play was originally performed in New York and in Austin, Texas but had never been produced in Tyler, Texas.
“It’s such a fascinating piece of theatre because it is so, so real,” said Dawson. In Circle Mirror Transformation Dawson will be helping the actors bring to life the true essence of who the characters are. Levi Hawkins, playing as Shultz in the play, says that there are characters with various backgrounds.
“Anyone who watches the play will definitely be able to relate to multiple characters in several different ways,” said Hawkins.
Dawson has made interesting choices concerning the set for the play.
The actors will be using the entire theatre as their set rather than a conventional set. The play generally is done with a set that looks like a community center with doors and walls. Instead Dawson will be using mirrors, a yoga ball, and a hula hoop to create scenes and moments.
“It will be a really interesting experience for any audience member, most likely they haven’t ever seen a show like this before,” said Hawkins.
