WIT,” a touching and intellectually challenging play, will be the first performance by the Santa Barbara City College Theatre Group this season and with Rick Mokler in the director’s chair once again, it is looking to be one of the group’s finest productions to date.
“WIT” is the story of Vivian Bearing, a well-known English professor who has spent years studying John Donne, as she is diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer. The following eight months of her life that make up the play, and incorporate flashbacks to fill in the story. Eight months of experimental chemotherapy treatment that she approaches the same way she would her study of Donne: aggressively probing and intensely rational.
Bearing is played by guest artist Allison Coutts-Jordan whom Rick Mokler, the director of WIT, had nothing but good things to say about.
“We have been so happy with Allison. We are so lucky to have her work on this play,” said Mokler. Adding, “she is absolutely marvelous.”
“It’s the first time we have worked together,” said Moker. “But she is very well-known in this town, everyone speaks very highly of her and I will do the same from here on.”
Mokler makes it clear just how serious the play’s subject matter is. “It’s an intellectual and emotional challenge,” said Mokler. “It is not like going to see a Jim Carrey movie, but as mature and challenging theater goes, this is as good as it gets.”
“It’s about a person dying, but also discovering the value of their life,” said Mokler. “It’s ultimately very life-affirming.”
The play, written by Margaret Edson, has won a plethora of awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1999. It is also Edson’s only play, and according to Mokler, she has no urge to write any more.
“It’s well written and compelling,” said Mokler. “It’s as well written as anything I’ve ever directed.”
“Margaret Edson actually called Allison (Coutts-Jordan) today and they talked for about half an hour. Allison got the chance to ask questions, it was pretty incredible,” said Mokler.
Many City College students auditioned for the play, which Mokler has been working on since the first week of school. Morgan Gardella, a City College communications major, is one of those chosen.
“I play a technician, a student and a member of the code-blue team,” said Gardella. “Being a member of the code-blue team is the best because I get to give CPR, it rules,” said Gardella.
Gardella said the hardest part was the time. She is taking a full load at City College, as well as working a job. She says that having her first speaking scene away from home was difficult.
Daniel Herrera is a former City College student who is now a communications major at UCSB. He is also playing a number of parts, but enjoys his role in the code-blue team the most.
“We run out and try to save her life,” said Herrera. “I get to have the defibrillator paddles. I had to fight for those. Paddles are the way to go I tell you,” Herrera jokes.
He claims that having Mokler direct the play was one of his greatest attractions to the play, as well as acting in front of a paying audience for the first time.
“The actress that plays Vivian is amazing also,” said Herrera. “From lights up to lights down it is amazing how well she captures the character.”
Susie Monahan is Vivian’s primary nurse and is played by Jennifer Shepard.
“I give the touch of humanity to Vivian that she doesn’t get from anywhere else,” said Shepard. “Vivian is an academic, and doesn’t really have friends. I befriend her and become the humane and sane hero of the play.”
“It’s been easy to play the part because I have the heart and humanity as a person anyway,” said Shepard. “I have had a year of hospital life of my own, so I appreciate nurses and am honored to play a nurse.”
Shepard believes as many City College students who can come should see the play because it is something everyone is going to face. She says that everyone is going to face dying, but characters like hers make that eventuality a little easier.
Randy Singer, who plays Dr. Jason Posner, a research obsessed doctor who has little time for human beings and their feelings, has opinions about characters like his from personal experience.
Singer is a brain cancer survivor from two years ago. He has thoughts in the area, and about the doctors like Posner.
“It actually bothered me a lot when I was in hospital,” said Singer. “Doctors like him don’t care about you, but you know the ones who do. And it’s the ones that do care about you who are going to save your life.”