He is telling a story. Staring into the audience, the young man is pouring his heart out and serving his thoughts on a platter for the audience’s taking. There are no props or fancy lighting, just raw talent.
“What we lack in talent in conventional theater we make up for ten-fold in acting,” said a beaming Aaron Mays. The Communication sophomore wrote and directed “Hush Hush,” playing this Friday and Saturday at Harris Hall. The actors involved have had years of experience ranging from community theater to NBC’s “The West Wing.”
Mays has previously written for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People but is presenting his work to the NU community for the first time. “Hush Hush,” a series of monologues by patients visiting a psychiatrist, is not affiliated with an on-campus organization. Before Mays completed the script, he approached on-campus organizations for backing but was declined sponsorship.
Undeterred, he found a solution. Feeling the play needed to be put on his sophomore year, Mays went to work. “I want to do a lot of things,” he said, mentioning studying abroad and possibly graduating early. This prompted him to bring his vision to life before becoming too busy. He finished the script, held auditions, and is now seeing the production hit the stage.
“Hush Hush” is written with the idea that everyone has a story to tell. The play looks at the intricacies of common situations and brings the audience into the minds of the characters. “You feel like you know them, so you’re forced to care,” said Brenna Ehrlich, a Communication sophomore.
The play does not focus on one main character but instead introduces the audience to multiple stories. The concept that everyone is connected is expressed through Dr. Winters, played by Medill sophomore Coley Harvey, who is described as “the glue” of the story.
The play opens and closes with monologues by Winters. In between, the audience hears from Winters’ patients, one by one, as they express their troubled pasts and hopeful aspirations. Finally, the cast recites stanzas from a poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar.
This allows the audience to take the uncommon point of view of a psychologist, peering into the lives of people from all walks of life. “(It’s about) taking an inner look at how everyone is wearing a mask,” said Weinberg freshman Gabriel Notarangelo.
Mays wanted the play to have elements that everyone could identify with and even sought the expertise of a doctor who specializes in mental health to make sure the monologues were grounded in reality. While Mays has been receiving praise for writing and directing the play in addition to independently producing it, he maintains that he has not gotten this far on his own. He is thankful for his cast and crew but said, “I give all of the glory to God, who has blessed me throughout the process.”
The cast has been rehearsing since Thanksgiving break, and the actors have put a lot of individual time into their characters.
“Aaron came around to our dorms,” Weinberg freshman Jackie Laine said. Because of the format, the actors didn’t have the benefit of playing off each other and had to bring their characters to life almost single-handedly.
“My favorite part is watching the characters come together,” Notarangelo said. “I’ve learned something from being involved; I have become a better actor.”
Ehrlich said the success of the play comes from Mays’ dedication and his openness to the actor’s ideas.
“(It’s) interesting especially because Aaron is a good friend,” said Harvey, who noted that he and Mays shared their creative ideas with each other regarding poetry and plays. He said it’s good to see Mays’ ideas come to fruition, and Mays is excited to see his work on stage for the first time.
“(The play) gives the audience the privilege to hear stories that are hidden,” he said. 4
Medill freshman Niema Jordan is a PLAY writer. She can be reached at [email protected].
