As Hamilton shifts back to traditional theatre after a couple of hybrid shows, students are thrilled to be putting on a completely in-person production this semester. The theatre department decided to put on
Fucking A
, directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre Jeanne Willcoxon. For the past several months the cast and crew have been working hard to do this show justice.
Fucking A
is a play written by Suzan-Lori Parks, and is a riff off Nathaniel Hawthorne’s
The Scarlet Letter
. The show is centered around Hester Smith (played by Leslie De La Rosa ʼ25), who tirelessly works her job as an abortionist. After her son was imprisoned as a child, Hester works every day to earn enough money to pay for his freedom. Even as she is shunned and hated by the rest of the townspeople, Hester is the epitome of a faithful mother who is willing to sacrifice her own life so that her son may be free. Although the show is sad at its core, the tragedy is offset with silly moments and jokes. The stage manager of the show, Katrina Grzeszczuk ’24 stated that “There’s comedy and tragedy all combined, but not in the usual tragicomedy way. You almost feel bad at laughing after you realize what it means.” In addition to the ‘tragicomedy’ scenes, the seriousness of the show is juxtaposed with musical numbers, ranging from ridiculous chants to soulful verses.
Parks, the playwright behind
Fucking A
who was named among
Time
magazine’s “100 Innovators for the Next Wave” and is the first African-American woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Parks was able to visit Hamilton College in March to talk about her process writing the show, as well as general information about her career. Parks spoke quite casually and even stated that she did not have a specific reason for parodying
The Scarlet Letter
, and came up with her play on a whim instead.
This was many students’ first time working with the show’s director, Jeanne Willcoxon. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the pattern of mainstage production directors was thrown off and resulted in a gap for Jeanne’s directing. One of the assistant stage managers for the show, Maddy Howe ʼ22, remarked that “it’s been amazing to finally get to finish a show directed by Jeanne. She’s a wonderful director and makes the process enjoyable for everyone involved — definitely a great final mainstage to be a part of.”
While they took much advice from Willcoxon, the students were able to make the set their own. Although it initially seems quite simple, the set was particularly ambitious and framed the stage with tall walls and a high ceiling. The set made light design for the space slightly complicated. The designer chose to shine lights through slits in the wall, reminiscent of the sun shining through a window as it sets. Another set of lights were hung against the back wall and shone straight down through the grated floor of the gallery level and onto the floor. In the scenes that emphasize the industrial feel of the set, fluorescent strip lights hummed on the ceiling as the whole space was washed with light. The many groups of lights allowed for several distinct and unique locations throughout the show.
The amazing acting, beautiful set and intricate plot all make
Fucking A
worth the watch. There are still four performances before the show is gone for good, Wednesday Apr. 20, Thursday April 21, Friday April 22 and Saturday April 23, all at 7:30 p.m.
