The Clackamas print., May 16, 2018, Page 5, Image 5

A R T S AND C U LT U R E
5
W hat’s your “ bi-tfentity?”
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JARED PREBLE
ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR
Picture life in a dystopian society where
your identity isassigned like a license
plate regardless of who you are or who
you wish to be. Traveling actors found
their way from Ontario, Oregon to
Clackamas Com m unity College
toshowcase their journey as four
multicultural teenagers living in
a world where individualism
is prohibited.
„ “ Bi” , written and directed
by Georgina Escobar, seeks
to educate the audience
in the ways of perceiving
people as more than what a
first impression can supply.
As explained by Sierra
Brambila, one of the leads
of the play as well as the
one with the largest number
of roles, people are like
diamonds. When the light
hits one, all of the various
dimensions and colors
)r§ of
o i jgygj
cough Ä g
that diamond shine through
allowing for the caster
to acknowledge the
entirety of the diamonds identity and
not just one side. That very metaphor
essentially.encompasses the entirety
of the message that this performance
conveys so expertly and artistically.
The story transports the audience
to the year 2089 where viewers are
given an up close glance into
the lives of four teenagers, Fig
(Ajai Terrazas), Isa (Sierra
B ra m b ila ), N oir (Ju stin
Charles) and Hex (Kenyon
L Acton) These teenagers reside
in an Orwellian society where
I walls restrict these residents
from the rest of the world
and every citizen carries a
single identity, being labeled
as either a sphere or 3 square.
Identity bracelets are issued to an
individual by the government once
they come of age, and it’s from that
point on that theyare restricted to
the single identity that is bestowed
' upon them by the government. Our i
four protagonists have -had their
whole lives to chew on this concept,
■ H
Ajai Terrazas (left), Sierra Brambila (middle) and Justin Charles (right), three
of the four protagonists letting loose in a club. They starred in the play “Bi”,
which ran on May 9 in Gregory Forum.
and after much discussion they elect to w ithin. The characters are prone to
escape confines of the walls and flee to friction between themselves, as all of
a place where they can embrace who them are unsure if leaving the safety
they truly are.
of the walls was a good idea. Though
“ Fig, his character can not identify as as the play progresses it becomes more
anything other than a square because and more evident that without this
he’ s not allowed to ,” said Terrazas, friction, they would be robbed of the
who doubles as a tour manager for him opportunity to discover who they truly
and the other three actors. “ He’s in a are while also sinking to the depths of -
society that only accepts one form of lifeless normality.
| cfinholt@ eou.edu | 503.594.0962
being. So he completely denied the
Brambila said everytime she puts on
'other aspect of him self.”
this show, shes constantly checking in
The actors have performed this with her various characters.
over twenty times so far, as they are
“Because I need to know where they’re
currently touring the country putting at in their journey of .every point in the
on performances in various locales, play,” She said. “ And everytime that I
and each time they are given th e' check in with a different one I would
opportunity to convey a different say that I’ve learned a lot about their
message that confirms the good that journey, who they are, what they bring
to the play and what I personally need
they are doing by performing.
“ W e’ re all likely going to have to bring to that character to help the
different answers and interpretations,” audience out.”
. “ Bi” drives home the point that by
said Charles. “ I would say that for my
character, I find that Fig is willing to restricting yourself to only one identity
conform to this idea that we’ve been you could potentially be shutting off a
told in our society. But for Noir I feel part of your being that could prove useful
that T would almost rather not exist to your betterment at some point in the
future, and it relays this to the audience
because I have to be a square. ”
The play features a bilingual cast, by offering an entertaining, humorous
which only adds onto the power that and at many times touching story about
this story wields. One might find his or kids who just want to be themselves.
Life is meant for those who are Wiling
her favorite character proclaiming his
ideals to the audience in English one to b e th e best them that they cafc be,
.<..Chris,ti F inh olt | Regional A d viso r
moment and in Spanish the next, which and at some point or another we are all
given the opportunity to be great. What
P artnering w ith Clackamas C o m m unity College- gives way to a whole new dynamic for
the four protagonists. While on their defines you as person is how you choose
H arm ony CenterJ 7738 SE Harm ony Road
journey they encounter numerous to react to that opportunity, whenever
P ortland, O regon 97222
obstacles, most of them coming from it should arise.
K
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Nay 16, 2018