Written by Cosette Bolt, Class of 2021

Broadway may be closed, theaters worldwide may be empty, but the stage lights are warming up for Birmingham-Southern College Theatre’s fall production, Made in America.

Made in America is the BSC Theatre Department’s brainchild, a work born out of passion, anger, fear, and vulnerability that provides students the opportunity to speak out. Under the guidelines of creating a five-minute monologue using the prompt “Today my world is,” the students have delivered.

Bygone are the days of escapism entertainment – Made in America is a raw look into the lived experiences of today’s collegians.

“My piece is titled ‘Like This Before.’ I titled it this because I have never seen a revolution happen right outside my window,” says first-year student Hannah Jackson. “I grew up reading stories about young people rising for the good of all, but I never thought that I would experience it. My whole reality, perspective, everything feels chaotic during this time.”

Instead of walking around in another character’s shoes, this work has provided an opportunity for students to walk around in their own for a bit and process the events of the past six months through a medium they love.

“It’s easier to play a character I identify with,” senior Brianne Kendall says. “But now it’s just me.”

This has not been easy. Within the careful parameters of Health and Safety, rehearsals are carried out via Zoom and in person interaction is limited to tech week.

Despite the uniqueness of the times, the piece is not devoid of brevity, as junior Rose Simpson reflects on her piece’s impact, she responds, hopefully:

“I want to bring joy, positivity, and love to the audience. I want them to remember what it’s like to be human, and how we are all trying to make it in this world. I want them to go out and love each other again, and I want to inspire acts of service in others. So that, maybe with a domino effect, we can spread love, and joy, while taking care of others in our world.”

It is no secret that everyone has been affected by the last six month’s events. In honoring the student voice through a work like this, the audience is invited to acknowledge both, as what Brianne Kendall states in her piece, are the “hoaxes” of today’s climate, but also the inherent “worthiness” in continuing to fight for a better world. She calls for freedom and discourse, while acknowledging that the person she presents on stage is not the Brianne most people will come into contact with on a given day.

The same rings true for all members of the ensemble. Each has held three online one-on-one rehearsals and a week of fine tuning, so very different from the many face-to-face hours usually spent on building, blocking, and memorizing.

Instead of orchestration, sets, and costumes, the simplicity speaks to Hannah Jackson’s belief that this show is, “a way of showing that it is ok to feel the way we do. That through each piece the audience will feel a burden being lifted knowing that they are not the only ones struggling, but that we are all in this together.”

It may not be a fairytale, but it is our story.

On behalf of the Birmingham-Southern Theatre Department, cast, and crew of Made in America, you are humbly invited to lean into the collective voices of current students, support our craft, our industry, and our passions.

October 22, 23, & 24 at 7:30 p.m. | October 25 at 2:30 p.m. | College Theatre | Mainstage
Admission is Free; No reservations required.

Seating is limited to 30 audience members at each performance. Masks will be required of all audience members, and social distance guidelines will be followed entering and exiting the building, and with the available seating. Audience members must show their GuideSafe passport. Theatre faculty, staff, and students will be available to guide audience members through the process. The production will also be streamed online here: BSC Theatre Events YouTube Channel.