This weekend marks the 10th anniversary of All of the Above, a theatrical production co-sponsored by Urgent Theater, Baldwin Scholars and Duke Student Government’s Student Organization Finance Committee (SOFC). The production consists of ten different monologues that were written and submitted by anonymous students.
If it sounds like Me Too Monologues, that’s because it is—the formats of the shows are nearly identical. However, there is one essential difference with All of the Above: it is produced, directed, written and performed exclusively by women.
Sophie Throsby, a co-director of the production, does not identify a specifically feminist angle within the show. “I suppose whatever your interpretation of feminism is, it could be feminist, or it could not be. Label-wise, it lies in showing the Duke community the Duke experience. I remember going as a freshman and thinking, ‘Wow, people recognize the same kinds of things I do, people feel the same things I do.’ That’s a similar experience for a lot of people and where its main value lies,” said Throsby.
The anonymous format works well here, bringing depth and complexity to the otherwise straightforward presentation of narratives. “[There is] the layer of the girl who wrote it, the layer of the feelings of the girls performing it, the feelings of the audience... a lot of people go into one specific individual performance, and that makes it very powerful,” said Throsby.
The unique performance space, a black box theater in the East Duke Building has a capacity of 80 seats and provides another compelling layer to the show. As assistant producer Hannah Hayward explained, the seating is just above a stage that is not actually elevated from the ground. “We used Sheafer [Lab Theater] last year. We really like this space, though, because it’s so intimate. There’s no separation [between performers and audience], and with the all-black feel and the costumes, it feels very intimate,” said Hayward, a senior in her third year of involvement with All of the Above.
This year, the monologues were distributed to performers only a few days before spring break. They had the week to memorize their pieces, and this past week has been their only opportunity for rehearsal.
“It’s an incredibly quick turnaround but we’ve been working really hard,” said Carmi Medoff, one of the ten actors.
Even the performers themselves, though unable to pinpoint the authors of their specific monologues, can identify with these stories of the Duke undergraduate experience for women. The anonymity grants the narratives a sense of universality.
“When I was reading the monologues for the first time, it was like I could swear someone read my mind when they wrote this. I can relate to at least half of the monologues, personally,” said Medoff. “It’s supposed to be a snapshot of what it’s like to be a girl at Duke.”
“It’s interesting that for parts of each monologue, you kind of think, ‘I felt that way once or experienced something similar.’ It’s a safe space,” said Cesi Bosch, a sophomore and a Baldwin Scholar. Bosch is participating in All of the Above for her second year in a row. “This is something I want to be part of my life every year that I’m here,” said Bosch. “I joined on a whim because I always had an interest in acting and wanted to pursue it here. That’s when I fell in love with the message.”
This year’s presentation of All of the Above is especially timely in light of recent dialogue about the lack of women’s visibility on campus. Though not affiliated with the Women’s Center, it coincides with the Center’s Rooted in Reality: Feminist Week 2013, a collection of organized conversations and celebrations of feminist identity. The production is an opportunity to keep the momentum going by furthering discussion and increasing visibility of female opinions and experiences.
“I feel like there’s a stigma attached to the word [feminist],” said Athelia Paulli, a first-year performer in the show. “The first thing that comes to mind wouldn’t be ‘feminist show,’ but it’s a show about issues that women at Duke face with a feminist undertone simply because of the nature of the people writing the monologues.”
Though not as diversity-oriented as Me Too Monologues, Throsby asserts that All of the Above maintains the same essential purpose. Said Throsby, “[It serves] to create a space to discuss issues topical to Duke’s campus. I think it’s about creating a healthy dialogue, ultimately.”
All of the Above will premiere on tonight at 7 p.m. in 209 East Duke Building. It then runs Friday Mar. 29 at 7 p.m. and Sunday Mar. 31, at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Admission is free.
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