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St. Olaf Theatre to present House Arrest

By Margaret Wade '08
February 28, 2008

What does it mean to be American? Inspired by this proverbial question, master playwright and performance artist Anna Deavere Smith challenges preconceptions of theater and national identity in the play House Arrest: A Search for American Character in and Around the White House, Past and Present. This fourth production of St. Olaf's 2007-08 theatrical season takes a provocative look at life in the nation's capital, traveling through time to reveal the evolution of the American character.

Performances will be held March 5-8 at 7:30 p.m. and March 8-9 at 2 p.m. in St. Olaf's Haugen Theatre. For tickets, $8 each, contact the St. Olaf box office at 507-786-8987.

Student director Kelsey Cramer '08 usually prefers art over politics, but when she read House Arrest, she felt immediately compelled to stage it. "The thing that strikes me most about the script is an overall question of 'What would you do if you were this person?' or 'How do we judge what is right and what is wrong?'" Cramer says.

House Arrest is a documentary-style show that examines slavery and racism, the civil rights movement, privacy for public figures, and the relationship between the press and the presidency throughout American history. The eight-person cast portrays real people like Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Walt Whitman, and Bill Clinton from public and private perspectives.

"I hope to stay true to the characters as much as possible," costume designer Molly Trucano '10 says. "I think that's what makes the play so powerful -- that these are the actual words of actual people."

House Arrest provides a broad range of opinions to provoke discussion and analyze nation-shaping events like Sept. 11, the war in Iraq, and the current presidential race. "The show raises a lot of questions about the government, society and race. We don't intend to answer those questions, necessarily, but we do hope to start a conversation," sound designer Tim Otte '08 says. "House Arrest is a charged play. I hope that, at the very least, we do justice to its urgency."

With the energy of an election year as a backdrop, House Arrest confronts themes related to current debate and discussion. "This is an important piece of theater that will be staged at a very relevant time," Cramer says. "Not only are we continuing to address the imbalances of race and power within this country, but we have an upcoming presidential election. I'm hoping that this show will get people thinking about how we look at Washington and what it means to be American."

The production not only has great relevancy in the national scene, but also in the individual lives of students. "As an undergraduate exposed to different viewpoints from all sides and learning how to think critically, I am still coming to terms with my own stances and beliefs as a citizen," Cramer says. "At first I was intimidated by the political themes running through House Arrest, but I discovered that the play is not so much about politics itself, but about the people behind the politics. I think the play takes a hopeful stance on ways we can readjust, enhance and celebrate our national identity for the future."

Contact Kari VanDerVeen at 507-786-3970 or vanderve@stolaf.edu.