USD undergraduate play raises awareness

How the theatrical production brought attention to common LGBTQ+ 

HALEY JACOB / ASST. FEATURE EDITOR / THE USD VISTA

Before Thanksgiving break, the Undergraduate Department of Theatre completed their four-show run of the play, “fml: how Carson McCullers saved my life.” The show ran from Nov. 19 to Nov. 21, bringing in audiences eager to attend the department’s first in-person production since the pandemic.  

The play tells the story of a lesbian high school student who struggles to find her place amidst the peers of her Catholic institution. The themes of self-discovery and self-acceptance are profound as the character learns to own her sexuality in the face of bigotry from the community. The plot addresses heavy topics such as homophobia and hate crimes to stress the message of perseverance through adversity and inspire audiences to show empathy to human differences. 

The Director of the Undergraduate Theatre program, Scott Ripley, shared his reasons for selecting the play. 

“I wanted our LGBTQ+ community to know that we love them. I was like, ‘how can we do that?’ Well, we produce a play that’s from their perspective. We tell their story,” Ripley said. “We have a big LGBTQ+ community here on campus, and I want them to feel supported and honored and respected; I want everyone to feel like that.”

Assistant Scenic and Projection Designer and USD senior, Daniel Long, shared his student perspective on the importance of bringing a play that highlights the LGBTQ+ experience to USD.

“I think there needs to be more visibility on this campus. My experience as a queer person is that it’s not easy to find other queer people, and when I do, it’s great, but the allyship on our campus has been lackluster,” Long said. “What we really need is that outward show of ‘we’re here for you.’ This play is important because it’s a way of creating visibility into an aspect of queer culture that people wouldn’t otherwise have access to, and wouldn’t be able to express otherwise.”

Ripley shared that having the play take place in a Catholic school made him nervous, and he didn’t know how audiences would receive the content and message. However, he knew the LGBTQ+ community deserved to be represented and celebrated.

“I was definitely nervous. But, you know what, I go in my classroom pretty much every week and tell people they’ve got to be brave. Well, then I have to be brave. It’s not fair for me to ask my students to be brave if I’m not brave,” he said. “I was like, we have to tell this story, and if in some way it hurts me, I will accept that. But luckily, we have these progressive people like Jim Harris, Gail Baker, the Provosts, and my entire chain of command in support.”

Senior cast member, Jazmine Mitts, who played Emma, shared the message she hopes people took away from the performance. 

“I hope this play made people realize the issues queer youth face and how even if they’re not directly contributing to their struggles, being a bystander has an effect as well,” Mitts said. “Not speaking up can cause a ripple.”

The decision to perform a play that acknowledges and celebrates the LGBTQ+ community on our campus is a step in the right direction for making USD a welcoming environment for all students. The play’s message of acceptance and empathy towards marginalized peoples sparks important conversations crucial for achieving greater inclusivity and open-mindedness. After all, to be a changemaker campus means allowing for every story to be told.