Script Review: Sister Calling My Name

So for my scriptwriting class that I'm taking, we have to write a report on each of the theatre's productions, so I figured "why not post it on here?"

I would like to emphasize that this is dealing strictly with what I could gather of the script itself from watching the play, and does not, in fact, reflect my opinions of the acting, directing, or any other facet of the production that is not the script itself. As I say at the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the play, thought the actors did really well(especially the actress playing Lindsay. That was disturbingly amazing work. Kudos to you, Grace), and I was impressed with Dave's directing. I thought he pulled it off exceptionally well.

Sorry, I've had people mistake my script critiques as being directed at the actors before, and I just want to keep from being murdered :P. So, without further ado:

Buzz McLaughlin’s Sister Calling My Name is an intense, dramatic script that deals with questions of basic humanity, creativity, and faith. It follows the journey of Michael as he is forced to face his past and struggle with his own feelings of guilt, regret, and anger, and ultimately reunite with his sister.

At the beginning of the show, Michael informs the audience of what it was like for him growing up with a sister who was diagnosed with both schizophrenia and mental retardation. He glosses over a few disturbing stories of life with his sister. During his entire monologue, and most of the show, for that matter, Lindsey, his sister, interjects with a random phrase or word, indicating her intentions and desires.

The script makes liberal use of flashback, using it to slowly unravel the history of Michael and Lindsay, albeit in a non-chronological fashion. The quick changes in scene and time are done relatively well, and, with a small number of exceptions, are not all that hard to follow.

Perhaps the greatest weakness at play here is the “preachiness” of the show. It is stated quite bluntly that Michael has rejected God, blaming him for the hardships that he is put through due to his sister’s condition. The character of Sister Anne, Lindsay’s guardian and caregiver, serves as the moral compass of the show, guiding Lindsay to God, and striving to bring Michael back into the fold despite his initial refusal and cynicism.

Michael is a wholly unsympathetic character; or would be if not for the highly traumatizing experiences that he endured as a child. He is cynical and depressed, due to both the torment of his memories and the mid-life crisis he is going through because of losing his job and divorcing his wife.

Sister Anne is underdeveloped, though her past relationship with Michael before becoming a nun makes for an interesting dynamic. It also serves as a bridge to allow her into Lindsay’s trust.

Lindsay herself appears to be used as little more than a prop; the character in the background muttering about her paintings and desire to give them to her brother. Despite a few truly disturbing glances into the darker corners of her psyche, the character is mostly sympathetic when given center stage, displaying a child-like mentality and sense of joy and wonder.

The plot slowly begins building towards a dramatic climax of brother and sister meeting again for the first time in twenty years, the former harboring detest for the latter, who only wants to be loved. Unfortunately, this tension is dispelled the moment Lindsay steps onstage while Michael is spreading her art all over the floor, finally coming to terms with his emotions relating to his sister. All of his previous hatred and degradation of her is completely forgotten as he embraces her, and he instantly forgives both her and God, as well as Sister Anne, despite her manipulating him to see his sister.

Altogether, this isn’t a bad play, and is definitely thought provoking if the over-optimistic ending can be overlooked. It raises some interesting questions about value of life, defining humanity, and even the role of God in the tragedies of our lives. It could be served by stronger character development, and a less preachy tone, but it serves its apparent intended purpose well.

Recollections and self-revelation

As I look back on my life over the last 20.5 years, I realize that there are two events that changed me. I don't mean minor events like graduating high school, going to college, finding that one all-important girl(though that has been a significant factor in my life lately). I mean two major, earth-shattering, fundamentally life-altering events. The first occurred ten years ago yesterday, when I watched the World Trade Center towers come crashing down.

I didn't fully understand the significance of that event at the time, and still don't really understand the symbolism for people who grew up seeing those two towering monuments dominating the New York City skyline. But it was a significant enough tragedy that it shook me in some way. I actually started caring about what was on the news, what was going on in politics, and world affairs. But as time went on, people seemed to care less and less about that event, while I was still affected by it. It disgusted me that people could be so forgetful about something like that. How could they go back to fighting and arguing and not remember what had been done? Everything is so polarized now that it's hard to imagine that for two, almost three years, this country had a united purpose, a common goal. Now it's "blame Bush this" and "socialism that" and "Barack Obama" and it goes on and on and on.

The disillusionment from that combined with other events in my life and made me a cynic. Where as before I was that gung-ho patriotic middle-schooler, and now I'm this twenty-year-old college student that only associates with people that I actually care about.

That all being said, I'd like to take this moment to thank the firemen, police officers, and emergency medical technicians, especially those that served in New York City that day. May God bless not only those who fell on that day, but the days following, the days leading up to it, the years since, and the years before. There is no greater love than this. I'd also like to say thank you to those serving in the armed forces. They and their families sacrifice a lot for this country, and they don't get enough in return. I pray for the families of those who died during the attacks. And guess what? Next week, I'll still be thinking about this. Will you?

The second life changing event was when my dad passed, but that's a story for another post.