Siena’s student theater club, Stage III, presents skits and songs during Freshman Orientation that deal with issues new Saints will face on campus. They’re a memorable part of the settling-in process, but to keep the material fresh, they need to be updated every few years to reflect changes in youth trends and language. This year another major update was required – they had to be presented online while maintaining their impact.
Sarah Wilson ’21 has been busy since January leading the rewriting and restaging of the orientation material. She worked under the direction of Krysta Dennis, Ph.D., creative arts producer, and with fellow members of Stage III to create plays that address roommate etiquette, relationship consent, dating violence, racial inclusion, personal pronouns, and coming out.
“My friend [Alyssa Bergman ‘20] actually suggested I do this,” said Wilson. “She thought I’d be good at it. I’d never written a play before, so that was a challenge, but I had so many great people to collaborate with to help me through the process.”
She gathered material by interviewing students, community advisors and campus administrators, and asked her fellow actors to improvise on certain topics so she could develop authentic dialogue.
Earlier in the year, there was still hope that orientation could be in-person. When Student Life reached out with the disappointing – but not totally unexpected – news late in the process that the skits and songs would have to be presented virtually, Wilson had to cut the material by more than half. She explained that everything had to be shorter and punchier to work better on video.
John L. Bebb, senior associate dean of students, said the Stage III team came through with “creativity and flexibility.”
“The plays went from our traditional live theatrical performances to remote pre-recorded sessions. In the process, they lost none of their energy and enthusiasm in conveying important messages about student life at Siena. They are for students, told by students, and I’m very proud of their efforts.”
After orientation is over, the skits, edited and recorded by Michael Lounello ’19, theater technical manager, will be posted on YouTube.
“Sarah and her team’s work are a great example of the resilience and ability of performing arts to shift gears, and proof that Saints do not sit on the sidelines,” said Dennis.