A scene from the play The Shadow Box.
The play The Shadow Box shows how life is broken into segments that are known as moments, and each moment is meant to be valued. People are taught this because one never knows when their last moment with someone will be.
This play was on display at the campus of Grambling State University from Sept. 30 through Oct. 3, in the Floyd L. Sandle Theatre inside the Conrad Hutchinson Performing Arts Center.
The Shadow Box was written by Michael Cristofer and directed by Dr. King David Goodwin. This production was a compelling drama that showcased the lives of three terminal patients separated into three cottages.
The first cottage consisted of the father named Joe, his wife Maggie, and son Steve. Steve and Maggie came to visit Joe to see how things were going for him.
Little did they know Joe’s health was declining, and he was starting to die. This catches the whole family by surprise, and brings a feeling of disbelief upon them.
The second cottage held two male lovers named Brian and Mark, and Brian’s ex-wife, Beverly. Beverly comes into town seeking Brian, paying him a visit which she figured was well overdue. However, when Beverly arrives she finds out that Brain is seeing someone else: Mark. Not only is Brian’s sexual preference a surprise to her, but he is also terminally ill.
Another family was also facing issues dealing with a sickness in cottage three. Which consisted of a mother daughter duo named Felicity and Agnes.
The elderly mother, Felicity was hanging on to her life by a thread. Felicity was being supported by her daughter Agnes, and she wouldn’t give up her will to fight for her life, in hopes of seeing her other daughter Clara before she died.
Little does Felicity know, Clara has been deceased for two years and the letters were being written by her other daughter Agnes. Agnes was writing these letters to give her mother hope.
All three of these scenes were breath taking to the audience. Every scenario seemed so real causing people in the audience to get emotional.
“It was really emotional, it was people literally crying and sniffling.,” said Larrese Wormley, the usher of the play Wormley is senior, and an active member in the theatre department form Sacramento, Calif.
Melanie Williams from Edmond, Okla., was the actress that played Felicity and she said “It was very emotional for me with it being three weeks after the second anniversary of my aunt’s death.”
Williams is sophomore, studying visual performing and says that this is the type of story that hits home. It makes people want to value each other more, and not take one’s company for granted.