honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, November 22, 2002

'Pegs' speaks of war, peace and children's potential

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

 •  'Round Pegs, Square Pegs'

A drama by Mary Hall Surface, a fund-raiser for the Student Organization of Theatre and Dance

7 p.m. today and Saturday

Campus Center Ballroom, University of Hawai'i-Manoa $7 adults, youths; $5 seniors; $3, UH students, children younger than 12

956-7235

"Round Pegs, Square Pegs," an anti-war drama, professes that we're either round or square — we fit or we don't fit — in this trouble-riddled world.

The drama by Mary Hall Surface, directed by Debra Jean Zwicker, metaphorically takes a look at social, environmental and emotional issues. It plays this weekend at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa's Campus Center Ballroom.

"I wanted a social-issue play that would be timely, addressing issues that dealt with terrorism, the war with Iraq and peace issues," said Zwicker, who is studying for a master's degree in youth theater. This is her thesis production.

"I am against war — I don't see a point in it — and as written by Mary Hall Surface, it's a matter of the round world vs. the square world," said Zwicker. "There are built-in prejudices against basic space, roundish or squarish."

In the realm of the tale at hand, Small Round and Small Square are children who have been brought up to hate each other. "The characters play a metaphorical game about land acquisition; the children are used in this sick game, learning that they really aren't that much different from each other."

A giant abacus, stage action and dialogue promote peace, and the play suggests that children have the power to make a difference and change the world.

Zwicker said theater is her artistic outlet for expression of her inner beliefs. "Choosing a play like this enables the use of my passion, my art form, my political viewpoint — the best contribution I could make," she said. "The play lets us know that sometimes, children can teach adults how best to change the world — and the world needn't be divided."

She taught at Chicago public schools for six years, including 3 1/2 years at middle school, the rest of the time as a high school teacher.

"Doing youth theater combines the teaching and the theatrical experience in a most productive way," she said. "It's a way to reach the children and help them develop a voice."

Zwicker said she chose the Campus Center Ballroom for its central location and audience capacity so that a wide portion of the university population could take in the show. The production also will tour a grade school (Manoa Elementary) and two middle schools (Niu Valley and Washington).

The UH performances will feature a pro-peace effort outside the theater, where information tables will help raise awareness about the peace efforts. Youngsters attending the performance also will have the hands-on opportunity to fold origami birds for an ongoing mission to send the symbolic birds to Japanese students in an international crusade for peace.

On the UH campus, Zwicker works in the Gender Equity Office and teaches an undergraduate theater course.

The production, which is partly supported by the university's department of theatre and dance, also has the backing of the Associated Students of the University of Hawai'i and the Student Organization of Theater and Dance, the presenting group.

The group "is an independent organization on campus, of theater and dance students, anyone in theater or dance classes," Zwicker said. "This show helps these students gain experience" outside the usual drama program.