What is “Under Construction” about?

Lindy Lu Forman (actress): Under construction is a really phenomenal show, especially because it’s been written by most of our students. More than half the script has been written by students and our director. It’s pretty phenomenal that it’s all based with us and the work we’ve done. It’s a great example of the wonderful things about the United States and the awful things about the united states, and how they work together, and how wonderful and great it can be at the same time.

Malik Wilson (actor): It’s about America. We touch on political views and the way that people see gay people and the way that people see family and morals and all that stuff. It’s a show that you’re gonna go into not really expecting what is gonna happen, but you’ll be pleased by the time you walk out.

Madison Burnes (stage manager): Our director wanted us to make the show a lot more relevant to Chico State students and modern America because the original script was written a couple of years ago on the east coast, so we just wanted to update it a little more. And the script actually calls for doing that. It says you can change anything you want. You can do it any order you want. You can just have fun with it.

What is your role in this show?

Lindy Lu Forman (actress): I’m an American in the show. I play a couple of different roles… Mock Shirley Temple, I have a scene that’s called The Woman Poet.

Malik Wilson (actor): In Under Construction, I play a lot of different roles. I go from playing a son to playing a husband to playing a woman, no one’s really the same. I really love changing into the woman. It’s pretty fun because I get this big dance number.

Madison Burnes (stage manager): I am the stage manager. I call the cues so every time the lights change or a sound comes on or a projection image changes, I’m following along with my script and watching the action. And when the actors give the cue I say, “go” and the board ops press go to make the change happen.

What is something that’s special about this show?

Lindy Lu Forman (actress): One thing that i think is special about this show is that we’ll be creating an art installation throughout the piece and by the end of the show there will be art that is on stage in the form on a huge sculpture.

Malik Wilson (actor): Honestly, something special about the show is the people that are involved in it. I feel like this semester everyone was cast in the show that they fit into and I am really happy with the turnout of the people I get to work with. They’re all so talented. And we’re all so different. We have so much to offer. I like how we just feed off each other. We really are like one big family. And it’s pretty cliche to say that, but it’s true.

Madison Burnes (stage manager): The strange thing about this show is that we don’t hide anything from the audience. You can see all of the crew people walking around backstage. We’re not hiding any of the wires or extension cords with any sort of tape. Our director doesn’t care if you see some of the lighting instruments moving to focus on different areas of the stage. It’s definitely a unique experience for the audience.

The Department of Music and Theatre’s production of “Under Construction” will be taking place in Wismer Theatre Nov. 9-12 and 15-17 at 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 13 at 2 p.m.

Carin Dorghalli can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_news on Twitter.