Reviving Ophelia Delves Deep into the Precarious World of the Adolescent Girl

The Drama Club put on a riveting performance when they enacted Cherie Bennett's adaptation of the New York Time's Bestseller, Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher on Friday night.

The play explored the societal changes that occur in the lives of adolescent girls causing them to lose touch with friends, become depressed and sometimes get involved in abusive relationships as they struggle to fit the mold of what they think they should be based on outside factors like media and peer pressure.

Some of the themes represented were poor body image, abuse and self-detachment; issues that plague girls today all too frequently and often go unnoticed, sometimes until it's too late to help.

Director and Drama Club instructor Myke Wilkinson explained at the opening of the performance that there are so many struggles and obstacles faced by girls today in our changing world that affect how they view themselves and live their lives.

"As a society we need to stop telling women what to be and embrace them for what they are," said Wilkinson. "That's the key."

The hour-long play began in 1995 when the students were in kindergarten and continued through their middle and high school years, culminating with graduation and future plans that some of the students were still trying to figure out. The high school principal played by Ryan Vigneau made the audience aware of the timeframe of each scene with monotone PA announcements regarding current national and world events.

The four main characters in the play each had their own story to tell the audience. Ophelia (Lia), played by freshman Jodie Deroisers, was an outspoken teenager who has to cope with her mother's breast cancer diagnosis and an abusive relationship.

Jill played by Nina Morelli, was a Native American girl adopted as a baby by white parents who never quite fits in despite her early attempts.

Dawn, brought to life by Erika Rethorn, a pretty and popular girl whose main concerns were which designer label her outfit had on it and what plastic surgery procedure her mom was going to buy her for a graduation present.

Lastly there was Allie, played by Khrysta Ryan, was an obedient daughter raised in a very religious household by a mother who had never been able to think for herself.

The cast and crew totaled 16 members and all seemed to work very well with one another especially during scene changes. The actors never left the stage and made wardrobe and set changes quickly and seamlessly, never taking away from what was going on within the story.

"This is the most secure I have ever felt with a group," said Wilkinson in regards to his students.

The Drama Club will be performing the play Saturday at 4 p.m. at Westerly High School as their entry in the 2011 Rhode Island High School Theatre Festival competition.