“Radial Gradient”

[rating=3]Have you ever been involved in what is called a “research study”? Did you take the “Greek  Road” during your college years? In Jasmine Sharma’s “Radial Gradient” now making its World Premiere with Shattered Globe Theatre at Theater Wit, we have a behind the scenes look at a college campus where three women enter a study in hopesof finding ways to change the complexion after a hate crime has taken place. Not being one that took the fraternity path, but having a number of friends who did, I understand a little about the attitude that goes with the territory. They also have a unique language so when one enters the theater, along with your program you will get a sheet of paper that is the “word bank” for this play.

In order to understand some of the action, I suggest you look over the sheet or you might get lost. It is good to understand things like a “bid” is an official invite to a frat or sorority and “Bid Night” is where members accept the “Bid” and begin their “pledge”. There are a host of others dealing with the process and life, which is what the story is all about including “colorism” prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same racial group. This is the old “passed for White” that I recall as a youth in Chicago. Add the “Greek Life” and the “I passed for White” together and you have a part of what we see in this story.

There are three characters: Anjani ( Simran Deokule), Melanie (Kianna Rose) and Gigi (Isabelle Muthiah). Melanie is the “recruiter” who works these girls toward the “Greek Life” and over the course of the play we see the great love that Anjani and Gigi have for each other. They are in agreement that change is needed and that together they will make it happen. But can they?

They are going to get into sorority life and fix it from the inside. What happens in our story is that they do get into the life, but not in the same sorority which makes their plan difficult , if not impossible. What we see is each taking a new look at who they are and the sorority life from the inside. Their friendship changes and we find that during their search they are being watched very closely as part of the “research study”. SURPRISE! What happens when close friends take different paths and see a light that they never anticipated would be in their view? Sharma examines this from both perspectives and we see how this college life can be more of an influence than expected.

This play was one of the winners from Shattered Globe’s Playwrights Series where young playwrights bring new talent and stories to the table. This is 90 minutes ( no intermission) of pure action and  learning about people and personalities. The set (Sydney Lynne Thomas) is unique in that it easily converts from place to place and with the exception of what we see near the end, is just “there”, never distracting from the action on stage that id directed smoothly by Grace Dolezal-Ng.

The other aspects of the tech were solid: costumes (Hailey Rakowiecki), lighting (Jason Lynch), original music and sound (Christopher Kriz) projections (Parker Molacek) and properties (Rachel Watson).

“Radial Gradient”  will continue at Theater Wit ( stage ONE) thru March 11th with performances as follows:

Thursdays  8 p.m.

Fridays  8 p.m.

Saturdays8 p.m.

Sundays  3 p.m.

Extra Saturday matinee March 11th at 3 p.m.

Touch Tour/Audio described performance March 3rd (6:45 touch tour)

Global Perspectives- on select Sundays there will be post-show discussions.

Tickets are $45 general admission, $35 seniors, $25 under 30 years of age and $15 for students.  $15 “industry” tickets Thursday and Friday-use INDUSTRY code when ordering

773-770-0333 or sgtheatre.org/gradient

Theater Wit is located at 1229 West Belmont. Masks are to be worn during the entire performance for the safety of the actors and audience members

Shattered Globe has something unique is a program called : “waived tickets” these are free tickets on a first come-firs served basis for students and community members experiencing financial hardship keeping them from attending theater. They have a waiting list that you must get on by  the Friday before you want to attend- contact lswanson@shatteredglobe.org to get on the list

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Radial Gradient”