Name: Jamie Joeyen-WaldorfYear: FreshmanMajor: Theatre/SociologyHometown: Washington, DC
We talked to Jamie, a freshman theatre major, about her directorial debut at Northwestern!
What made you want to bring Twilight to Northwestern?As a campus, we struggle with conversations regarding race and diversity. In the wake of events such as Ferguson, many people are aware of these societal issues but do not feel comfortable discussing them. I think Twilight gives a voice to some populations who are often silenced.
Tell us a little bit about Twilight. Twilight is a documentary theatre piece exploring the aftermath of the Los Angeles riots in 1992. All the words in the play are taken verbatim from interviews. It offers a lot of different perspectives on racial and social relations. However, different characters in the play speak to people in different ways, so I think each person can come away from the play with a variety of reactions.
As a first time director at NU, what have been some challenges?We’ve had about four weeks to put on this show, so the time crunch has been a challenge. I’m also either the same age or younger than my cast members, so sometimes that dynamic can be weird in terms of balancing authority and collaboration. This is a new community…directing college students is a lot different than directing high schoolers, so I also had to make that transition.What do you look for in an actor? Someone who is generally pleasant to be around and can put in the discipline and work ethic to a show process.
What has been your favorite part of freshmen year?Honestly, I’ve gotten a lot of unexpected opportunities in theatre, including directing this piece. I also have met some really amazing people inside the theatre community and Greek life. Generally, college has made me a lot more aware of current social justice issues, which is probably what drew me to this piece.
We’re so excited to see the show! What’s your favorite part?I love the moments where the entire cast is onstage. I tend to use a lot of physical metaphors in my directing and the images of all the different individuals together are quite powerful.
Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 opens Friday, April 24th at 8 p.m, with additional performances on the 25th at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Admission is free!