Cornerstone Theatre’s “Gruesome Playground Injuries” is this weekend at the Forge Theatre.
The play, directed by UI theater arts student Jessican Shehan and originally written by famous playwright Rajiv Joseph, consists of two characters who, over the course of 30 years, sustain multiple injuries – physically and emotionally – varying in severity.
Each scene shows these characters, Doug, played by UI business management major and theater arts minor Aidan Transtrum, and Kayleen, played by theater arts major Emily Carlson, with newinjuries during different stages of their lives.
Actors Emily Carlson (Kayleen) and Aidan Transtrum (Doug) rehearse for “Gruesome Playground Injuries” mid-October in the Forge Theatre at the University of Idaho.
Transtrum said the play begins when the characters are 8 years old and gives audience a glimpse into these characters’ lives as they grow up. As the story progresses, the audience sees how the relationship between Doug and Kayleen develop.
“It’s kind of a love story because Doug is very much in love with Kayleen throughout most of his life, and it’s just him trying to figure out the ways he can make it work out,” Transtrum said.Transtrum said Doug gets hurt a lot throughout his life, which was what inspired the name of the play. Dougblows his eye out with a firework when he’s 23, he breaks his leg up on a roof, gets an infection, has a nail go straight through his foot, rides his bike off a school roof at 8 and cracks his head open, Transtrum said.
Somewhat of an adrenaline junkie, Doug isn’t one to think ‘What if I get hurt’ but rather ‘Oh, I got hurt,’ Transtrum said.
One of the toughest parts of acting as Doug for Transtrum is character development, he said. He said it was the most in-depth character he’s had to play — “Gruesome Playground Injuries” is Transtrum’s first full-length, one-act play.
“I don’t know what it’s like to be 38 years old, don’t know what it’s like to be 28 years old and I don’t know what it’s like to be 33 years old,” Transtrum said. “That was the three ages we have to identify with and portray.”
Shehan said she had really liked this play and proposed it to Cornerstone Theatre. The play consists of themes Shehan said she felt are important for society.
“There are a lot of different, I think, important things that people in our community and just anyone should be aware of. So, there’s different topics of bullying, and self-mutilation, and rape, and neglect and harm, just so many different things that has happened to these characters,” Shehan said.
Shehan said these issues have had more light shed on them recently, especially with the #MeToo movement, a social media campaign where victims of sexual assault share their stories through the “MeToo” hashtag. The play also shows such issues in a way that’s very real and Shehan said she hopes it will encourage people to fight against them and help those who have been affected.
Transtrum said the show will run approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $5, and the proceeds from the play will help Cornerstone Theatre produce future shows for the Moscow community.
“I’d tell people to come to see the show because it’s just a great story. It shows two really great people who are just trying their best. Doug and Kayleen are not perfect people and they’re just trying to be the best versions of themselves that they can be, I think very much like we all are,” Transtrum said. “It’s a good mirror to us as people.”
May Ng can be reached at [email protected]
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INFOBOX
“Gruesome Playground Injuries”
When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 10, 11 and 12
Where: Forge Theatre
Cost: $5 per ticket