“The story is dark and nihilistic. It confronts the fact that for many, the American Dream is not possible. Suburbia is a lie…”
SubUrbia, by Eric Bogosian and directed by Joe Price, “chronicles the nighttime activities of a group of aimless 20-somethings still living in their suburban New Jersey hometown and their reunion with a former high school classmate who has become a successful musician.” Joe Price gave an incredible statement over the show, saying that,
“In this play, malls, fast food, mansions, and manicured lawns cannot hide racism, misogyny, homophobia and the day-to-day struggles of young people that are lost. Some of the characters have given up on their dreams, while others are still fighting for them. At the beginning of the play, one of the characters, Jeff, is considering the apocalypse; when we look at 20/21 with its global pandemic, insurrections, police brutality, mass shootings, ice storms, and all of the other ills we are facing, it’s not hard to relate to the end times. It’s important that anyone that is considering watching the stream understand that the play is challenging. It is full of harsh language. It contains racial slurs, homophobia, and violence. Women are objectified. Drugs and alcohol are abused. There is death and destruction.
So, why this play when the world is so full of darkness? There are no easy answers. Perhaps the play is reminding us once again that we need to CHANGE. The play is a warning. We cannot continue down this path! The path of hate, intolerance, and ignorance will only lead to oblivion. It’s the artists in the play that MAY have a chance to make a difference. Maybe the play is challenging us to make better choices in this life. To choose love over hate. To choose knowledge over ignorance. To make art that can lift ourselves and one another out of the darkness and into the light. The world doesn’t seem to have changed much over the past 25 years, but we have a chance to change.
It’s not too late to choose love.”
Even with the challenges accompanied with producing this show, Joe Price stated that the student designers and actors were committed to the project, and he is beyond impressed with all of their work.
Cameron Eli DePriest, one of the characters the show follows, gave some insight into his character and the production. His character, Tim, is a “traumatized Air Force veteran and, now, an alcoholic. He is also racist, homophobic, and turns to violence and/or self-destructive tendencies. He is the epitome of unfiltered toxic masculinity. Despite his faults, some of Tim’s redeeming qualities include his loyalty and care for his friends.” Cameron Eli shared that audiences should see the show because, “There is a lot of subject matter that deals with very real problems we still see in our world today—problems we have yet to learn from and resolve. Our intentions were not to glorify the problems, but to call them out for what they are. Something needs to change. I hope our audiences leave with the courage to start having conversations with others about this difficult subject matter. The first step in solving a problem is recognizing there is one. On a personal note, following two heart attacks, to finally be back on stage after nearly three years was deeply cathartic. This production process and those involved helped me rekindle my passion for why I’m here.”
We also spoke with Elena Jaquez, SubUrbia’s Costume Designer, about her inspiration for the show’s docstume designs and any challenges she might have come across. She stated, “My inspiration for these costumes came from notes in the script and 90’s grunge/punk looks. I looked at the styles of popular celebrities at that time, and then imagined how the characters in this play would’ve tried to recreate them. Although I didn’t come across any major challenges, this was my first experience as a costume designer, so everything was a bit of a challenge at first. I am so grateful for everything that I learned and everyone who guided me through this process.”
This is sure to be a challenging, thought-provoking, and emotional-responsive piece to everyone who sees it. Be sure to tell all the design and acting students involved to “Break a leg” for their incredible work.