CSB students pen original play, 'The Secret Worlds of Women'

Women take centerstage in a new, original play being produced by the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University Theater Department.

“The Secret Worlds of Women” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14-16, 2 p.m. Nov. 17 and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21-23 at the Gorecki Family Theater, Benedicta Arts Center, CSB.

“The women in this production (12 actors and a stage manager) have been working since the second week of classes to create this play from scratch,” said Kaarin Johnston, professor of theater at CSB and SJU and the director of the show.

“They started with nothing except the title,” Johnston added. “This production belongs to the 12 actors and the stage manager who are all CSB students.”

The show is a collage of information, events, experiences and dreams of college-aged women. Every woman wrote a personal monologue, which is spoken by a different actor in the play.

In addition to the personal monologues, the play tackles stereotypes and perceptions about women, including stories about women’s bodies, abuse and racism.

The cast includes CSB students Karen Benitez, Jackie Cruz-Tapia, Margo Cushman, Raven Dames, Celeste Dickson, Allegra Hoppe, Hanxiao Luo, Lizbet Martinez-Port, Olivia Schleper, Yuxin Shi, Steffi Tapsoba and Anja Wuolu. Meghan Palmquist serves as the stage manager, and the sound designer is SJU sophomore Ian Zohn.

The running time of the show is approximately 90 minutes. Due to the mature nature of the topics and language, the play is recommended for persons 16 years of age and older.

Tickets for the play are $10 for adults, $7 for faculty, staff and seniors and $5 for CSB and SJU students, and are available at BAC Box Office, by phone at 320-363-5777 or order online.