LYDIA TURCIOS
Art Director
This week PAC — the Performing Arts Company, a student run organization here at SUNY Fredonia — performed Ordinary Days by Adam Gwon, with great success. This production was their first in person event since February 2020, and set the tone for a brilliant year of theatre, with a packed house at the 8 p.m. showing.
PAC sets out to put on four mainstage productions per year, two per semester, with additional events such as workshops and individual productions. Ordinary Days was performed at 50 W Main Street at Main Street Studios, a newly renovated and opened warehouse turned theatrical arts hub.
Throughout the performance, there was an undercurrent of joy from both the production team and audience for finally being able to attend an in person show. The director, Alexa Kartschoke, gave a very heartfelt thank you and welcome upon opening that set the tone for the evening.
The production team made fantastic use of their space, a large open floor plan room on the first level of the warehouse. The simple but well thought out design of the sets and props bellied the performances, with the light design remaining particularly interesting all throughout. The color and intensity of the lights coordinating with the mood of the scene and character boosted the ambiance.
The characters include Warren played by Arden Brown, Deb played by Alexandra Bastian, Claire played by Brianna Puma and Jason played by Sarah Zweighhaft. The cast members breathed life into each musical number, particularly when audience interaction was incorporated into a scene. It made the performance much more engaging due to how well executed the audience interaction was. “Ordinary Days” is an emotional musical that connects to audiences’ personal experiences to incite their interest, and PAC did that justice. The characters dance around each other’s lives and only connect in passing, but affect each other deeply.
Warren is a cat-sitter for an artist looking for human connection and a purpose. Deb is a literature grad student striving to make something more of herself than what she considers average. Claire and Jason are a couple navigating the clashes in their relationship. Through shenanigans and happenstance, Warren and Deb find someone to relate and support each other, inadvertently causing Claire and Jason to work through their problems and commit. The dialogue is snappy and comedic when it isn’t bittersweet and moving. The cast leaned into each role with aplomb, with especially strong comedic timing and vocal control.
Ordinary Days is a sign of good things to come for the remaining three PAC productions this year, to much excitement.