Ohio State Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts to stage Jen Silverman’s ‘The Moors’

(From left to right) Sophie O’Leary, Maddie Green and Isabella Korzenok rehearse for the Department of Theatre, Film and Media Arts’ production of Jen Silverman’s, “The Moors,” which runs from Nov. 6. to Nov. 15 at the Blackbox Theatre. Credit: Courtesy of J. Briggs Cormier

There is more to Ohio State’s upcoming production than meets the eye. 

The Ohio State Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts is set to stage Jen Silverman’s “The Moors” at Ohio State’s Blackbox Theatre — located at 1932 College Road — from Wednesday to Nov. 15. According to the department’s website, the gothic comedy follows a young governess, who arrives at a home expecting Mr. Branwell, a man with whom she has been romantically corresponding, but instead finds Mr. Branwell’s two sisters, maid and dog — and no Mr. Branwell in sight.

Tom Dugdale, an associate professor in the department and the show’s director, said the play will surprise some audience members.

“There’s a real sense that you are stepping into something that feels like gothic literature and it feels kind of recognizable, even if what is recognizable is a creepy, Victorian, gothic trope,” Dugdale said. “[Silverman] then turns those ideas on their head and surprises you with great humor, but also incredible intelligence. [Silverman] does an amazing job of making you think you know what the show is and then pulling the rug out from under you.” 

Victoria Smith, the show’s assistant director, said one of the ways the show surprises the audience relates to how it addresses the issue of sexuality.

“[The show is] heavily inspired by gothic fiction, but it uses it in very contemporary ways that challenge the harsh structures of gothic fiction, especially in relation to gender and sexuality,” Smith said. “The show gives everyone a common starting place, but Silverman works really hard to make it something that we all have to wrap our heads around.”

Dugdale said the crew has been working hard to create a distinct stage design that will capture the tone of the play.

“We are pursuing a design strategy where we are trying to merge the architecture of the house with the natural environment in a way that’s really interesting for the audience,” Dugdale said. “It’s a bit bleak and foggy, but sort of beautiful in its own kind of windy, rainy way.” 

Dugdale said the play will be shown in Ohio State’s Blackbox Theatre, a square room with black walls and a flat floor. The audience will be very close to the action of the play, which Dugdale said is one of the many things that excites him about the production. 

“I’m pretty excited about that collision of the natural world and the domestic space and seeing what people think about being so close to the energy of those two meeting,” Dugdale said. 

Smith said when casting for the show, the production team did not simply look for the best performers, but actors who seemed to want to learn from the roles in the production.

“I love thinking about theater as a place of learning, so in casting a show, I’m looking at how we work together as a learning environment, how we are able to grow from each other,” Smith said. 

Dugdale said one of the main principles he is trying to teach the cast is the professionalism needed to run a successful play.

“Across the board, there’s a professionalism that we are trying to get everybody thinking about,” Dugdale said. “Whether you are coming out on stage and telling the biggest joke ever and bringing down the house or you are going out to play the most serious scene, I think we are trying to make sure that everybody understands that either one is a serious endeavor that requires preparation and concentration.” 

Tickets for the show start at $15 and can be purchased via Ticketmaster or through the Ohio State Theatre Ticket Office, located within the Theatre, Film, and Media Arts building.  

More information about the show can be found on the department’s website.