'Organizing in the Time of COVID-19' by WCSU Theatre - A Review

DANBURY, CT - Last night the WCSU Department of Theatre Arts presented the premiere of ORGANIZING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 AND OTHER LESSONS..., as part of New Works - New Voices. This is the fourth in the New Works - New Voices, a virtual production series amplifying the voices of eight incredible playwrights and composers from underrepresented and diverse backgrounds.

So the full title of this work is “Organizing in the Time of Covid-19 And Other Lessons Members of Generation Z Have Learned, Are Learning, Will Learn Before Everything is Said and Done… Or, Also Too, Maybe Not?” and that pretty much gives you an idea of the tone of this very contemporary piece. It is billed as a collaboration between the cast and creative team, comprised of director Chris Bolan (Netflix’s A Secret Love), writer Keelay Gipson, and composer J. Oconer Navarro.

ORGANIZING is described as a play with music that provided WCSU students a unique opportunity to create a brand new topical piece in five weeks designed specifically for a virtual medium. I learned that the show has material inspired by “Woke Supremacy” by Donny Respher and the production was inspired by the theatrical processes made famous by the Joint Stock Theatre Company. The hope is that this new work will bear the fruits of rigorous research, improvisation, and discussion. Audiences are advised that they can expect an experience entirely new and visceral.

I found the WCSU production to be a new experience in that it was intentionally authentic in nature, in a good way. We watch a group of young people try to work through the process of supporting the Black Lives Matter movement by presenting a virtual cabaret. The struggles are portrayed realistically and in the end, the cabaret itself is pretty impressive, including songs, a drag performance, poetry and even an interpretive dance. I thought that the seven songs performed fit well with the tone of the action.

Having reviewed the three other presentations in this series, I found ORGANIZING to be the most impressive in its technical elements. There were carefully selected news clips, a song that was shared via an Instagram account, a Facetime meeting, and a good variety of “shots” that appealed to the eye; this production in the series is visually excellent. Kudos to the visual director RJ Romeo, audio/video designer Arielle Edwards and editor Jakob Kelsey.

The racially diverse cast includes WCSU senior Derek Alexander as Luke, senior Jenna Castonguay as Serena, sophomore Ethan Chan as Ted Moy, senior Jordan Cowan as Maggie, Rachel Colette Faria as Maggie, Teagan La’Shay as Celeste, junior Ryan Hemstock as Aaron, junior Ryan Charles Henry as Brent Casswell, senior Olivia Kirby of Waterbury as Robin, senior Jamie Leo as Kaitlyn, senior George Pinnock as Dimitri, sophomore Victoria Santiago as Vanessa, junior Ulric Alfred Taylor as Desmond and freshman Jackson Tubis as Ryan. Although they were playing characters in their age group, they got the chance to stretch their skills as a performer.

Be forewarned that there are adult themes and some strong language. Tickets are available at wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com; this production will stream again on Saturday, Dec. 5th at 7:00 PM.

The director Chris Bolan has had a career both on and off-Broadway and has performed as an actor with many top regional theater companies in both the United States and Canada while also working in film and television. has directed legendary LGBTQ and Civil Rights Activist, David Mixner, in three World Premiere productions at the Florence Gould Theater in NYC.

Bolan directed and co-wrote the critically acclaimed Netflix Original Documentary, A Secret Love, based on a member of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League made famous by Penny Marshall’s classic film, A League of Their Own. Bolan is part of the adjunct faculty in the theater department at Western Connecticut State University and holds an MFA in acting from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

ORGANIZING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 AND OTHER LESSONS MEMBERS OF GENERATION Z HAVE LEARNED, ARE LEARNING, WILL LEARN BEFORE EVERYTHING IS SAID AND DONE... OR, ALSO TOO, MAYBE NOT? is streaming again on December 5th. Tickets for the show are on sale now, as well as the Season Flex Pass, which grants you access to all five productions for the cost of four. This show is one of five productions that are part of New Works - New Voices, a virtual production series. Tickets to each individual production are $5.00 per performance. There is a Season Flex Pass available. For $20.00, passholders will have tickets registered for one performance of their choosing for each five productions. For more information and to purchase a Season Flex Pass, click here.

How to View Virtual Production

Before you purchase your tickets, you will be asked to either create an Eventbrite account, or log in with an existing account. Once your order has been completed, you will receive an email confirmation. This confirmation will contain the link to the Online Event Page, where the livestream will be broadcast on the day and time of the performance. When you open the online event page, you must log in with the account you used or created when you purchased your ticket to this event.

You will receive a reminder email from Eventbrite two days before the performance. Please keep your login information handy, as the box office will not be able to assitant in retrieving your account information.

All sales are final. No refunds will be permitted.
For questions, please contact the box office at wcsuvpac@gmail.com.

Nancy Sasso Janis, writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, posts well over 100 reviews each year. In 2016, her membership in the Connecticut Critics Circle began and her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted not only in the Naugatuck Patch but also on the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the CCC Facebook page.