Disconnected – How We Learned to Connect in 2020
Content Warnings
Contains descriptions of mental illness. Contains descriptions of death. Contains descriptions of homophobia.
Description
In this filmed play, we look at how Covid 19 pushing classes online led to a huge disconnect in the theatre and performing arts community. Filmed on a zoom screen, we see how everybody coped with the pandemic differently and everyone’s worlds changed just a little differently in response. [Duration: 25:42]
Biographies
Ava Ballagh (Playwright and Director) – Ava is a junior studying social work and theatre. She has loved getting to work on this show from start to finish and is so thankful for the opportunity to get to do something so creative! She wants to thank Bee for always talking her off a ledge and trying to solve her technical problems. She also wants to thank her cast for being the best and not yelling at her when she took forever to finalize the script. You may have seen Ava as Fabian in Twelfth Night, doing hair and makeup for Roial, or leading They’re So Dramatic. Next, Ava will be doing costumes for MSU’s “Corktown…” and is the makeup designer for All Express Children’s production of “Something Wicked.” Her love to you all!
Bee Neuhouser (Technical Director and Stage Manager) – Bee is so proud of the work they and the entire company put into Disconnected. They would like to thank Ava for thinking of them when picking her support. Next, Bee is on to being the light board operator for Michigan State University’s production of “Corktown, or Through the Valley of Dry Bones.”
Reese Verlinde (Anna) – Reese was so happy she had the opportunity to be a part of this show and portray the professor. She thinks the cast was amazing and super fun to work with. Reese would like to thank her director, Ava, for being a great leader for this production as well as an amazing friend to the cast and crew. Next on Reese’s agenda is directing “The Brothers Grimm Spectacularthon” for The Roial Players. She is excited for her very first directing opportunity at Michigan State University!
Kateleigh Schlink (Laynie) – Kateleigh is ever so thankful for this opportunity from Ava and the whole team. This was her first college audition for anything as a new freshman at MSU and she’s grateful for her first to be with all these talented people. Next, Kateleigh is currently in rehearsals for the upcoming Roial Players’ One Act, “The Brothers Grimm Spectacularthon” as Narrator 2!
Morrigan DeClerck (Frankie) – Morrigan is thrilled to be involved in Disconnected and thanks Ava for the opportunity where they learned valuable skills that they will continue to apply in the Roial Player’s One Act Show, “Ghost in the Machine,” where they will be playing Melissa.
Madison Stark (Maddy) – Maddi is so happy to call this the first production she worked on in college. It was so much fun to get into character and to bond with the rest of the cast. She would like to thank her family, her friends, the cast, and the directors for all their support. Madison is currently acting in an upcoming production of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” with the MSU Roial Players, as well as a short film with the MSU filmmakers club!
Meredith Prevo (Brani) – Meredith is a junior studying game and interactive media with a minor in theatre. She very much enjoyed working on this show with Ava and the rest of the cast and crew. They were most recently seen as Sir Toby in Twelfth Night and are currently working on costumes for Roial’s One Act productions.
Ally Doederlein (Katie) – Ally is honored to be part of this project and has loved working with the cast, Ava, and Bee. She would like to thank Ava for writing such a meaningful script that depicts the setbacks the pandemic brought to theatre education. Next, Ally is the assistant lighting designer for Second Stage Production’s production of “Rocky Horror.”
Prapti Bhavsar (Erin) – Prapti is a junior at Michigan State University majoring in psychology and theatre. She has been a part of several short film productions in New York the past year. She is passionate about acting, screenwriting, creative writing, playing the piano, and traveling. She would like to thank Ava Ballagh for making her a part of this production and she is so grateful to have met all these wonderful people!
Liz Brey (Jason) – Liz is a freshman and she has loved being a part of Disconnected! Her favorite credits include Godspell, Arsenic and Old Lace, Pippin, and True West. Thank you to Ava and the cast and crew!
Zhanna Yakubova (Sam) – Zhanna is so grateful for the opportunity to work on Disconnected! She also thanks Ava for her hard work and for making it happen. Next, Zhanna is on the costume crew for MSU’s production of “For the Love of…”
Nicole Merchant (Camryn) – This is Nicole’s first year at Michigan State University, where she is ecstatic to begin working as an actress in the BFA program. Nicole would like to thank Ava and the rest of the “Disconnected” team for welcoming her with open arms and being extremely supportive along the way.
Alex Opalikhin (Understudy/Swing) – Alex (he/she/they) is super happy about the work that was put into Disconnected, and is really excited for you all to see the finished product! They would like to thank Ava and the rest of the cast for having them around. After this production, they will be in the One Act play, “Ghosts in the Machine,” for the Roial Players at Michigan State University!
Reflection
Receiving the microgrant was very helpful to me working on/finishing this project. I have so many reasons not to put my time and energy into creative projects when I have so many other commitments, but having a specific thing to put my energy towards aside from my classwork, and knowing I received funding to make it happen, was so great! The grant also helped me to obtain the editing software necessary to make the final draft of the show possible as well as allowed me to thank my cast and crew for all their hard work!
Being a theatre performer during Covid was very difficult. Theatre by nature is so collaborative and having that typical in-person collaboration taken away was really hard. It was seen throughout theatre spaces around the globe that there needed to be a new way to connect as performers from a distance. We all, at the same time, but at a great distance from one another learned how to create in the middle of a pandemic. I personally learned how to form connections without really being able to see people. I saw that we could all create great things in our own spaces, separately, but come together to create something even better when it became safe to do so again. Covid also really taught me how fragile life is and how you only get one chance to make a difference, so it taught me to prioritize my creativity and allowed me the time and space to begin creating again for myself and for the world around me.
I do believe other CAL students would benefit from this opportunity. Allowing students to start from scratch and create whatever they are passionate about is so special and really allows us to make what inspires us. The grant is an added bonus, but getting the opportunity to create freely was the best part of this for me!