A Gender Fluid Fantasy Unfolds

Story and Photos by Alex Del Cueto

Once a semester the theater and performance (THP) department puts up one main stage performance to allow students the ability to gain experience on a show. For the Fall semester of 2024, they produced the play “Orlando” by Virginia Woolf adapted by Sarah Ruhl.

The show was directed by the Chair of the THP Department, Rachel Dickstein, and assistant directed by senior Alec Hoxha. The cast and crew were students of both the theater and performance major and the design and tech major.

“Orlando” is a fiction biography with allusion to the character Orlando from Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.” Both the character Orlando and the show reflect on the idea of gender fluidity.

The story takes place over the course of 400 years starting in the 16th century and ending in the 20th century. Throughout the story we see Orlando starting as a man and his interactions with his many lovers. However, at the end of the first act, something happens to Orlando causing him to become a woman.

“There’s really no play quite like this,” said Hoxha. “There’s such a connectedness between the play and the world right now.”

Orlando has performances in CMFT 0061 from Oct. 30 to Nov 2.

Eva Doyle laid on letters in a separate room from the theater for the pre-show.

The narrator stand-in (Kat Tobits) wrote the book telling the story of Orlando. She later switched back with Doyle.

The narrator set the scene of the 16th century for the beginning of Orlando’s story.

The Queen (Eli Bettmann) chose Orlando (Tea Marie Rigor) to be her new treasure, steward and new love.

Russian Princess Sasha (Hope Lowery) and Orlando hold hands as they skate down the frozen River Thames.

Orlando saddened and disappointed after Sasha didn’t arrive at their late-night meeting. 

The Romanian Archduchess (Franki Mastrone) latched onto Orlando’s leg, hoping to make Orlando love her.

A few of the residents of Constantinople. Orlando Fled here in order to escape the Archduchess.

Orlando as he wakes up from his week-long slumber realizing he is now a woman.

Orlando sailed back to England as the Captain (Amaya Adu) informed her about everything that's changed in England since she was last there.

The Romanian Archduchess revealed she was actually a man to Orlando after he found out Orlando is now  a woman.

Marmaduke Bonthrop Shelmerdine (Jackson Sorice) as he met Orlando and realized they were both people that were once the opposite sex.

Orlando in 1928 struggling to grapple with where her life is now.

The chorus reached out towards Orlando as she became too overwhelmed by life. 

The cast of “Orlando” hit the final pose prior to their dance break to Beyoncé.

The cast and crew of “Orlando” took their bow.