Jackson Herd
jdh003@marietta.edu
Freshman orientation covered multiple bases; however, they failed to explain to students the proper course of action if they found a group of students in the Dyson Baudo Recreational Center choking each other and karate chopping their necks.
Let this be a public service announcement: these students are thespians, practicing their stage combat under the assistance of Marietta College junior Morgan Massaro.
“I just kind of fell into [theater] my freshman year of high school,” Massaro, originally from Caldwell, Ohio, said. “I always thought it sounded cool but never really looked into it,”
Massaro, who started as an extra in a high school production of “Cinderella,” has since starred in MC’s “Arabian Nights,” “The Music Man,” “The Maids,” and “Time Stands Still.” Additionally, Massaro enrolled in an experimental stage combat class, only offered for one year. This has granted her the standing to be assistant stage combat instructor.
She is also the assistant director and assistant costume designer for the upcoming productions of “The Wayfarer” by Valery Briusov and “The Love Talker” by Deborah Pryor.
Other than designing costumes, Massaro’s assistant directing has her interacting with the professors of the theater department.
“I’m a second pair of eyes to make sure that things are looking right…and to be able to keep the meaning of the play [and] to help keep our purpose,” Massaro said. She also assists in the rehearsal for stage combat.
The combat rehearsal, taught by Professor Jeff Cordell, takes place in the multipurpose room of the DBRC where the yoga mats are repurposed into a cushioned stage. The actors file in promptly at 9:30 p.m. and immediately began organizing a double layer of yoga mats and conversing over the various aspects of the productions. After reviewing notes and conversing with Cordell, Massaro quickly gains the undivided attention of her peers by simply leading them in warmup stretches. The actors quickly turn quiet and focused on her.
Professor Cordell elaborates on the situation, stating that theater is “never a solo sport,” letting students have authority over the process. Professor Cordell states that Massaro has been doing a great job.
It appears as though the goal of the department is to provide equal footing for both faculty and students as to create the best possible theater together.
“I pretty much owe everything to [the faculty],” Massaro said. “I don’t believe I would be doing theater for the rest of my life if it weren’t for them.”
The combat class progresses from stretching to partner activities. Passersby would have seen the room transform from what appeared to be traditional yoga class to multiple students karate chopping at each other’s throats.
Massaro stresses the importance of maintaining eye contact during the partnered exercise, stating, “Just as the eyes are the window to the soul, eye contact is the key that opens the door to begin action.”
Massaro tours around the room, complimenting her students on their posture and skill or providing demonstration and suggestion if they are not up to par. But she knows not to expect innate perfection, as she is quite familiar with the difficulties of acting.
“’The Maids’…was probably one of the coolest plays I have ever been in and one of the most difficult,” Massaro said. “It was a one-act play, about 90 minutes, but we prepared in about three weeks plus tech week.”
However, she has no regrets about such a workload. Despite her life being “all theater all the time,” taking up more than five hours of work outside of class, Massaro still feels that “if [she] had been someone watching [The Maids] I would have desperately wanted to be in it”.
The exact same amount of outside work ethic goes into preparing for stage combat rehearsal. Helping instruct from about 9:30 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. requires about two hours of research and preparation.
The class proceeds from their distance-measuring arm swings to practicing side stepping their partners swing. Massaro continues to assist around the room, making sure the actors do not lean in to their swings, or swing at their partner’s neck as opposed to shoulder parrot. She visits each group on at a time, making sure that they fully understand and are executing to the upmost of their ability. Had I not interviewed her before this observation, I would have assumed she was trying for a degree in theater and in teaching.
Further, she notes to the class that in order to make the side step appear more human, literal steps should be taken to get out of swing range as opposed to one singular step to the side. The difference this advice makes is astounding. The maneuver goes from seeming mechanical and required to something real and believable—all through the addition of a single step or two.
While commenting on her aspirations, Massaro also recognizes the importance of nonliteral steps.
“Right now I have a lot of steps to take…there are multiple cities I want to look into moving to,” she said.
She lists Pittsburgh, Chicago, Boston, Cleveland, and even London as possible locations to move post-college. One thing is certain though: “I’m not picky about what I want to do in theater, so long as I’m doing theater,” Massaro said.
Choking, surprisingly, is the next step practiced. Both Massaro and Cordell call attention to the wet towel slap as one partner slaps their hands onto the others collar – yet another peculiar view from those outside the room. Are you not supposed to notify campus police when you see students choking each other?
Commenting on her instructor, peer, and partner, fellow actor Amber Smrek said, “Morgan knows her stuff; she did well in the experimental combat course and learned very quickly. She’s a really strong teacher, and is always on top of her own and other’s game”.
After the front choking the class shifts to choking from behind. The same safety PCP rules apply, as the choked continues to be the one in control of the scene. Massaro continues to assist and comment on her fellow actors before detailing the finer points of safely choking as the actor collapses onto the floor.
Obviously, performing at a level that earns admiration of faculty and fellow students alike requires a large amount of work.
“I never sleep,” Massaro said. “But joking aside I spend a lot of time with my major.”
Finally, at about 10:35 p.m. the group quickly practices how to properly fall and pinch before Massaro ends the stage combat session. The actors, tired and theatrically drained from combat class on top of their typical course load begin filing out of the room. No doubt to go work on their studies that have been put off by hours of rehearsal. Massaro turns to Cordell and begins reviewing the plans for rehearsal in the coming days and combat to practice next week. The life of a thespian is busy, surprisingly physical, and never ending.
Those who wish to witness Massaro may be able to catch a glimpse of her choking other students late at night in the DBRC. Though, to witness the fruits of her labor you would need to witness the productions of “The Wayfarer” and “The Love Talker” in November. Those with further interest could also attend the February production of “The Other Place” by Sharr White, which Massaro will be directing.
