Overwhelmingly mundane and yet heartbreaking, funny and super relatable! ETSU students brought their take on “The Flick,” a Pultizer Prize-winning play by Annie Baker to the Bud Frank Theater stage this weekend.
The play, directed by theater professor, Patrick Cronin, follows three grossly underpaid movie theater employees portrayed by ETSU students Charles Clark, Francisco Rodriguez, Eulalah Prater and Hunter Thomas as they meander through troubling personal lives and popcorn-covered theater aisles to discover what is ‘real’ in their lives.
The play leaves a lot to the imagination as the main point of view is from the audience since there is little to no narration. Though at a glance it seems almost exhaustingly underwhelming, thanks to the actors’ startlingly impressive performances, the audience is soon reeled in, sympathizing with the characters and their struggles with family, relationships, mental health, school and work and yearning for change and advancement.
As the play progresses we get to know the characters as well they get to know each other, sharing their emotions with each witty joke, heart-wrenching rejection and even a cringe-worthy failed seduction attempt.
The Flick is keenly in tune to current social affairs and in just over two hours, tackled and highlighted various issues of particular importance and uniqueness to the millennial generation. Everything from racial inequality, underemployment and economic instability was touched on and relayed to the audience in a humorous dialogue capable of garnering sympathy from even the coldest cynic.
If you missed the chance to see The Flick this weekend, you can still catch it tonight, Feb 19, at 7:30 p.m. at the Bud Frank Theater. Tickets are $5 for students, faculty and staff with ID and $10 for general public. To purchase tickets, visit http://bit.ly/2sjsMmT or call 423-439-6524. For more information on upcoming events from the Department of Theater and Dance, visit www.etsu.edu/cas/theatre or call 423-439-6511.
