Theatre is a wonderful medium that allows the actors to engage directly with the audience, to feed off of the energy in the room, and put on a show that will amaze.
This spring Grove City College put on Oliver Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer, a comedy about mistaken identity and true love. I had the honor of playing the role of Diggory, a half-wit butler who causes more trouble than he can fix. This was my last full-length show at Grove City, and I enjoyed the cast immensely. I had the opportunity to work alongside some of my best friends and even make a few new ones along the way.
Above all, we strived to put together an entertaining, meaningful production for the audience. Goldsmith’s intent was not to just put on a comedy for the sake of laughter, but also for purpose of thought and engagement. Beneath the surface jokes lie a wellspring of meaningful commentaries on classicism and empowerment of women. While laughter plays a large role in the show, there is so much more to be gleaned from the text, and it’s the actors’ jobs to make that come to light.
For being a liberal arts college of 2,500 students, Grove City always amazes me at its quality of performances, and that goes beyond the acting. While the acting is impressive not only for a school without a Theatre major, but also for students in majors from Computer Science to Mechanical Engineering and from History to Communications, the technical work at Grove City exceeds expectations. Lighting, sound, sets, and props come together in a way that exudes skill and dedication.
Just like it does in its various other departments, Grove City’s theatre impresses and excites those who experience it.
Here is a video made by Daniel Peiffer highlighting She Stoops to Conquer and the creative process called Inside the Actor’s Mind.
