Four students will be exploring the stage this spring as the SJU Theatre Company performs “On the Verge” in Bluett Theater.
Inspired by real life female explorers, this 1986 play written by Eric Overmyer follows the story of three Victorian women as they explore unknown lands only to discover they are also traveling through time.
“As [the characters] make the journey, they also discover a great deal about themselves,” wrote Director Laura Pattillo, Ph.D, assistant professor of English and co-director of the SJU Theatre Company, in written response to questions from The Hawk. “People often speak wistfully today of ‘the before-times,’ but this play is about embracing the future and moving forward with hope.”
According to Olivia DeMartini ’25, who is making her SJU Theatre Company debut as Fanny, the play covers a wide variety of genres and will have the audience feeling a rollercoaster of emotions.
“It’s a little bit mysterious, it’s definitely funny, it has its serious moments and it’s touching,” DeMartini said. “It’s just like a big blend of genres, which I think is really unique.”
Another unique aspect to this show is how it is displayed through the lens of women explorers as opposed to the common male narrative usually seen with exploration.
“You’re taught in school about the explorers, like Christopher Columbus. It’s always from a male perspective, and you never hear about the women who did the same exact thing,” DeMartini said. “It’s really cool looking at your own character to see that it was a real woman who actually did go exploring alone and interact in a field where it was mostly men.”
Emma Kelly ’26, who plays Mary, emphasized how the arts overall provide people with new perspectives and leave room for people to express themselves through other characters.
“The arts, and particularly theater, are so important because they teach really important skill sets,” Kelly said. “Those skill sets are things that aren’t always found in other subjects and so don’t always get valued at the same level. But with theater, it’s a lot of stepping into other people’s shoes, and it’s a really great exercise in empathy and learning about other people’s situations and developing a wider worldview.”
Kelly also said that not only is the plot unique, but the bond formed among the small cast makes this production even more special.
“I think when you only have four members of the cast, everyone gets to be a lot closer because there are just fewer people to be around,” Kelly said. “We’ve had a really good time with it. It’s been very nice to get to know everyone well, and there is something very cozy about a small show.”
Gavin Kuebler ’25, who is the only man in the play and will be playing eight different characters, encourages people to come to the show because it is something different and out of the ordinary.
“It’s going to be a fun time,” Kuebler said. “I think that this is a very little known play. It’s a pretty nice one that I had never heard of before I auditioned for it, but once I read through the script, I just thought it was a wacky and interesting setup.”
Kelly highlighted the different takeaways from the unique plot of the play and how audience members can find a way to connect.
“It’s a really interesting exploration of people in a very strange sort of circumstance in a very strange new world and how they cope with that,” Kelly said. “I think that everyone can relate to that in some way. At some point in their life, just about everyone has been put into an odd situation or something that they weren’t expecting and had to learn how to deal with that. I think that that’s something that everyone should get to see and be able to relate to on stage.”
