To Whom the Southern Bell Tolls
November 30, 2016
Photo Credit: Mrs. Montolvo
Student director Sarah Gregory directed the scene To Whom the Southern Bell Tolls. It focused on a mother and her two sons in the 1960’s south the scene starred Izilda Jorge as Amanda Wingvalley/Mama. Costarring Ryan Campbell as son Lawrence Wingvalley, Kurt Jackson as son Tom Wingvalley , and Julia Paradizova as Ginny potential girlfriend to Lawrence Ginny.
First, the plot of the play can be described as comical and endearing. Mama (Izilda Jorge) believes her son Lawrence (Ryan Campbell) is a hypochondriac. He is constantly finding aliments in himself that the doctors say cant possibly exist. Her other son goes to the movies way to much and doesn’t provide for her the way he should.
Most of all Mama wishes for her sons to be normal. She wishes to marry them off and finally get them out of her hair. She repeatedly tries to set Lawrence up with women, and fails terribly. The only thing hes interested in is glass cocktail stirrers.
Tom Wing valley brings home a girl for Lawrence who works alongside him in the factory. She is a loud and confused girl who has loss of hearing from the heavy machinery she operates. Ginny (Julia Paradizova) is interested in improving her self. Ginny even tries to help Lawrence Gain confidence after he shares with her that his mama calls him retarded.
As a result to all the mayhem on stage we learn Ginny is a lesbian and could not possibly love Lawrence. She breaks one of his swizzle sticks and leaves abruptly. Tom cant take his family any longer and leaves for good. Lawrence and Mama Fight and Lawrence tells mama he named one of his swizzle sticks after her. He therefore breaks it in half showing his affection for her in that large action.
Most noteworthy in the scene was the characters one liners. The audience could not stop laughing. watching such a dysfunction family try to get things together. The costumes were alright and correctly displayed the time era, but weren’t anything spectacular.
The students accents were believable. Also there was never a moment when you couldn’t hear what they were saying. In conclusion, the first scene was a success and I would willing see it performed again.