Arts

Fate and Freewill in the Theater Company’s Spring Show

By Alice Perry ‘28 in Spring 2025

The spring play, If/Then, was a student story about binaries. Written by the Theater Company class, it follows the story of a podcast episode in which two podcasters interview various historical figures about different binaries in our life. Good and evil, fate and free will, and alternate reality are all discussed as two twin spirits decide whether they should be reborn or move into the unknown. 

The podcast is brought to life by seniors Julie Martinez and Mona Moshashaee. Their entertaining dialogue, bubbly personalities, and prop headsets make it seem like you are truly watching an episode of a podcast. Historical figure Ferdinand De Saussure and American academic Robert Sapolsky are both played by Alcides Aleman ‘25, whose marvelous acting is full of humor and a joy to watch. With a wonderful accent and grumpy demeanor, junior Davy Forrester expertly took on the role of Fredrick Nietzsche, as well as others. Joshua Kaminsky ‘26’s roles were filled with passion and power. Senior Ellie Rosenberg’s Severance monologue added a call to the audience and had us considering whether we are “innies” or “outies.” Mats Tyreus ‘26 performed with a calm yet very funny demeanor as Augustine of Hippo, as well as other roles. Martin Buber, Bureaucratic Conformist #2, and Hamlet were all skillfully played by Griffin Reid ‘26. Sandia Zolotov ‘26 and Lucca Moore ‘26 played twin sister spirits, capturing the emotions of the role and captivating the audience with flowing movements and the raw heartbreak of siblings splitting apart. Though Lincoln Garret ‘26 did not make a physical appearance in the show, his talent was still present as a mysterious “Voice” guiding the souls, as well as appearing via Zoom as a law professor.

Every actor in the spring show is a member of Theater Company, the advanced theater class for juniors and seniors. Their skills are evident in their performance, each one equipped to write and perform a beautiful, thoughtful show. Students watching enjoyed the show immensely. The aspects of fate and freewill seem to be a fan favorite, as it left the audience wondering about their own life decisions. One student commented that he “was still thinking about it” several days after the performances. Some students said the story was confusing at points, commenting on the many different scenes. However, others enjoyed the differences, saying that they “liked how [they] didn’t have to understand one scene to understand the next.” The haunting elements in the beginning, middle and end were gripping, and the philosophical questions and theories throughout the play left people wondering about their own ideologies. “I really enjoyed the parts that make you think deeply about yourself,” an anonymous student commented. If/Then was beautifully written and executed wonderfully.