Muleskinner

Issue date: 12/7/06 Section: Features

discussion- Peter Macy and Candace Orrino rehearse for the University's newest production "Spinning into Butter", a play that looks at a hate crime at a small Vermont university.

In today's society, prejudices and stereotypes are often considered taboo topics in an increasingly politically-correct society, and therefore, are not discussed often. The play "Spinning into Butter," by Rebecca Gilman, addresses the topic of prejudice on a college campus, something with which UCM is all too familiar.

The play takes place at the fictional, overwhelmingly Caucasian Belmont College in Vermont. Everything on campus is peaceful until one of the very few ethnic students starts receiving hate mail and a rock is thrown through his window.

"The dean of students is really at the center of a whirlwind after these hate crimes are committed," said Nathan Potter, senior theater major. "It shows how campus reacts."

Potter plays Greg Sullivan, a 21-year-old pre-law student at Belmont. His character wants to form a student group to discuss what has happened on campus and he ends up in the middle of the controversy.

Potter said the cast was really affected by the hate crime that happened on our campus in late October, when a homosexual student was assaulted outside a party.

"We opened up with each other and had an honest discussion about prejudices," Potter said. "To get these things to go away, we have to have a dialogue about it and open our minds."
Director John Wilson said this play had been on the department's to-do list for two or three years before they chose it for this year's line-up in March or April.

"What happened here on campus has thrown the focus on the relevancy of the play," Wilson said.

The cast and crew have many goals for this play. Since it deals with such a controversial topic, they hope it will start a dialogue on campus as well as in the community.

"The objective is to get our audience and ourselves to take a deeper look in the mirror," Wilson said. "We should ask ourselves 'Are you capable of racism?' and if you think you're not, this play is a gut check."

Potter also believes this play has the potential to affect people.
"Anyone who comes in with an open mind and is able to examine themselves and take away a thought of reflection will start a dialogue about this," Potter said.

One of Wilson's main concerns is that not enough people will see this play because Rebecca Gilman and her play are not very recognized by the general public.

"[Gilman] is a dynamic new voice," Wilson said. "She has had a lot of early success, and we thought it was important to tackle one of her texts."

Wilson also said Gilman's work is hard to perform because it is so contemporary and real.

"Anything short of absolute genuine is false, and you can't get away with 'acting.' You have to believe 100 percent of the time," Wilson said.

Prejudice is not something confined to small towns or rural areas. It happens everywhere, all the time.

"The human heart is the same everywhere you go," Wilson said. "Demons and struggles are everywhere; an artistic event can open up dialogue, and it's worth pursuing."

"Spinning into Butter," runs tonight through Saturday, at 7:30 p.m. in the Highlander Theatre.

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