West High adapts coming-of-age drama 'Girl, Interrupted'
What happens to a confused 19-year-old girl in 1967 who checks into psychiatric hospital after an attempted suicide and finds herself befriended by other women patients who are sociopaths, pathological liars and are being treated for bipolar disorders and anorexia?
The students of West Aurora Theatre Troup 2013 have jumped into the world of mental disorders for their fall play "Girl, Interrupted".
West High Drama Director Ken Ruffalo took the screenplay from the 1999 movie starring Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie and has adapted it to the stage for this first-ever high school performance.
"Girl, Interrupted" is based on the autobiographical account of Susanna Kaysen's stay in the McLean Psychiatric Hospital in Belmont, Mass. in 1967.
"I play Susanna and she is kind of confused as to who she wants to be. She is pessimistic about the future and just wants someone to talk to," said Lindsey Grandt a 16-year-old junior from North Aurora. "She is totally lost at the beginning of the play and at the end she feels better about herself."
Ruffalo asked the actresses to do research on their roles.
"I took six to eight girls and assigned them to do research on their mental disorders to get a feel for their character," he said. Susanna was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
"We have a great group of girls and they've really bonded by being locked up in an asylum during our rehearsals," Ruffalo said.
The director asked his actresses not to watch the film "Girl, Interrupted" but Grandt says she has been a big fan of the movie and has seen it many times.
Ruffalo has shown select scenes to the cast but wants the girls to get their own take on their characters.
During September tryouts, the students read scenes from Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds". But Ruffalo ran into some unexpected trouble with the staging and he took on the task of adapting the "Girl, Interrupted" screenplay himself.
"Ken took the movie script and adapted it as a play," said Kerry Proczko, the theater troupe's business director. "He cut out some scenes and eliminated swearing and the inappropriate sexual overtones to make it work for the high school stage."
Ruffalo is using lighting to help change the scenes of the play and is also incorporating the theater pit as part of the stage for some escape scenes.
Veteran West High actress junior Jazzlyn Luckett of Aurora is playing a serious role this fall after some more comedic parts in previous West High plays.
Luckett plays Dr. Sonia Wick who makes a connection with Susanna.
"Susanna brings what she learns from the other patients to my office and we sort it out together," Luckett said. "We challenge each other and my character sees her as not a patient but as a real human being."
Tickets are available at the door for $8 for the two performances at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 21 and Nov. 22 at the West High Auditorium 1201 W. New York St. in Aurora. Call the high school at (630) 301-5600 for ticket information.
<p class="factboxheadblack">"Girl, Interrupted"</p> <p class="News"><b>Where:</b> West Aurora High School Auditorium, 1201 W. New York St., Aurora</p> <p class="News"><b>When:</b> 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22</p> <p class="News"><b>Cost:</b> $8</p> <p class="News"><b>More info:</b> (630) 301-5600</p>