By: JOSELYN ELLINGTON
Staff Writer
November 16, 2017 is the opening day for “The Liar,” a 17th century comedic stage play taken on by IU South Bend Theatre and Dance Company, directed by professor of theatre Randy Colborn.
Senior social work major and assistant stage manager Janessa Katzer said, “You can look forward to laughing your behind off. I don’t know if it’s appropriate or not to say asses, but it’s a really funny show. It’s hysterical.”
“The Liar’ is a play done completely in Iambic pentameter, which means that the whole thing is rhyming, which is very unlike a lot of plays,” said sophomore theatre major Taylor Jump. “So that might scare some people. Poetry can kind of be scary, but the thing is, although it’s rhyming and it’s a very French style play, it’s very modern. There’s a lot of modern jokes that people are going to get.”
Jump is one of the main characters. She has been acting since her sophomore year of high school, she said, and has been in around 15 plays.
“Every single play is so different and presents new challenges and things to overcome. So it’s always a new experience, and I love doing it,” she said.
In “The Liar,” Jump plays the role of Lucrece, a shy quiet girl who is a bit jealous of her best friend Clarice that gets all the attention from guys because of her looks, and according to Katzer her promiscuity.
Taking on the role of a quieter character was a bit of a challenge for Jump.
“I have to be more rigid with my role, which isn’t like me. I’m usually a more flamboyant character. That’s been one of the struggles, trying to be more composed and the more mature one in the group,” Jump said.
“I like this one, it’s really funny. I love working on comedies and just like being a part of—you know— something that’s bigger than myself. I’ve had that with every show. This show, I think, it’s a different dynamic because I’ve never worked with this director before,” said Katzer.
As assistant stage manager, Katzer has worked closely with the production team and the director. She said, “It’s been interesting. He’s definitely not afraid to speak his mind. And that’s good. You need blunt people to be in charge. He knows what he’s doing. He’s been doing it for a long time. He’s a good director.”
Jump feels like the cast was very well put together.
“One of the interesting things about the play is that the lead who is supposed to be a male is being played by a woman, and so that’s the love interest for Clarice and Lucrece,” Jump said. “So that’s been really cool being able to explore that. I bet it’s been really hard for her—you know—trying to find male characteristics to get into the role more, but she’s doing an amazing job. We all get along really well and that’s brought us really close together.”
Having the male role played by a female was not intentional.
“That was a choice by the director,” Jump said.
According to Jump, Kendra Turner, who is playing Dorante, came up to the director and asked him,“Are you gonna do any gender bending for the show?”
“He said he didn’t think so, but then she brought some male monologues and he was like, ‘OK.’ So she got cast. She’s an incredibly talented actress,” Jump said.
