Pitt-Greensburg thespians delve into women's lives in spring play

Mar. 29—Pitt-Greensburg Theatre Company will close out Women's History Month with a production of "Talking With ..." a play composed of 11 monologues by women relating the ordeals of their lives.

Among the idiosyncratic characters portrayed by four student actors are a baton twirler, a fundamentalist snake handler, an ex-rodeo rider and an actress who will go to any length to get a job.

"Many of the monologues are touching and emotional, others are comical," said Christina Allaback, Pitt-Greensburg director of theater. "There are a wide variety of characters to have fun with, as well as moments of vulnerability and humor."

"Talking With ..." will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Ferguson Theater on the Hempfield campus.

First produced in 1982, the work is ascribed to the pseudonymous author Jane Martin, whose true identity remains unknown. In its debut year, it was named Best Regional Play by the American Theatre Critics Association.

"It was interesting that our actors were like, 'This is a really sad play.' And I said, 'No, it's not a really sad play — it's a really hopeful play,' " Allaback said. "There's one monologue about a young woman who has lost her mother, and, even though it's very sad, she finds a bit of hope at the end.

"There's a homeless woman who wants to live in McDonald's, which is kind of a strange concept, but she finds hope at the end," she said. "It's a roller coaster of stories and emotions. But, whether the monologue is humorous or strange or serious, there's a bit of hope at the end."

"Talking With ..." was suggested to Allaback by Sheila Confer, director of Pitt-Greensburg's Academic Village.

"Like many other college campuses, our theater department often has more women than men. It's always a challenge to find a variety of good plays with good parts for women," Allaback said. "We did a large, intricate, classic piece last semester with 'A Streetcar Named Desire.' I thought this smaller, more intimate piece provided a good contrast to that."

The men in the company are serving as crew for the production.

Talk show set

While the monologues traditionally have been presented on a bare stage, Allaback said she imagined a set resembling a talk show.

"I want to throw kudos out to the stagecraft class and their instructor, Charles Lockridge, because they did a really great job," Allaback said. "It has a really nice feel. It's warm and welcoming. It gives the actors something interesting to interact with while they're telling their stories to the audience."

Among the actors is Madison Vogel, a second-year psychology major and visual and performing arts minor from Penn Hills. This will be her fourth performance in Ferguson Theater.

Vogel, who voices three characters, including the bereaved daughter, said she finds the monologue format novel and exciting.

"The thing I find most challenging is getting into the characters 'body' and 'mind.' It can be easy to memorize a monologue and perform it, but it is different when you must convey that to the audience and make them believe this character's life is yours," she said. "The thing I find most rewarding is getting to dive into these characters' lives and understanding that everyone lives differently and perceives things in an unalike light."

The woman in McDonald's is one of three characters portrayed by Sydney McLaughlin, a first-year biology major from West Homestead. She acted in the fall production of "Streetcar" and performs with the Pitt-Greensburg Chorale and Chamber Singers.

"What intrigues me most about the play is how many different stories there are and how they don't entwine with each other," McLaughlin said. "What I hope the audience will take from this isn't just a fun show but also some good messages along the way."

Other actors include Brianna Bicker of Delmont, a junior majoring in biological sciences, who portrays the snake handler and rodeo veteran; and Megan Coleman, a junior communication major from Indiana, Pa., who is making her Pitt-Greensburg acting debut.

Anna Wicks, a third-year nursing student from Ligonier, is costume designer. This is the fourth production with which she has assisted.

Admission to "Talking With ..." is $5, payable in cash at the door. For more information, visit greensburg.pitt.edu.

Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Shirley by email at smcmarlin@triblive.com or via Twitter .