The theater department has produced a performance titled “SBCC Stories,” featuring submissions from the City College community and separated by three chapters, streaming online from March 31 to April 17.
Maggie Mixsell, a prominent local theater arts educator, is directing a triage of stories aimed specifically at connecting with the City College community. Each chapter will be $10 general and $5 for seniors, students and City College staff.
“The goal of these performances is to get to know the community at City College,” Mixsell said. “Every facet of life is represented in these stories.”
The stories written by the City College community have been selected, separated into three acts, extensively rehearsed and produced to tell inspiring and heartfelt stories.
The stories are categorized into three themes, titled, ‘Friends and Family,’ ‘The Unexpected,’ and ‘Discoveries.’ Giving us a hint as to what we can expect from each of these chapters.
“The performance is divided into three separate videos so we could include as many stories as possible with less of a time constraint,” Theatre Manager Pam Lasker said.
COVID-19 created a new set of challenges for the theater department when producing this play.
Instead of filming inside the Garvin Theatre, the actors had to film outside due to safety protocols. Theater department co-chair Katherine Laris said this caused a set of issues, like bird chirps, lighting and wind that wouldn’t have been prominent in a controlled setting.
“There is nothing like being in communion with people in the moment,” Laris said. “COVID-19 has meant that we are afraid to be together and that we see each other as disease vectors.”
In a time where it has been difficult to find joy in togetherness, this event is designed to provide an entertaining experience that allows people to come together and enjoy what the community has to offer.
“We are a community of individuals; every individual story is important,” Laris said. “We all add to the beauty of the whole, and we all have something to contribute.”
