“Bound/Unbound: A Queer Quest for Big Love” is a devised play that is non-conforming to the bounds (pun intended) of “Big Love” by Chuck Mee and “The Suppliant Women” by Aeschylus, examining the materials through a queer and nonbinary lens.
The piece is unique in that it is based not only on its predecessors but also experiences written and acted by Montclair State University students. The show follows 30 women seeking refuge after running away from arranged marriages with their cousins, yet with this new material becomes an interesting insight into gender constructs and complexities.
Heather Benton, the show’s director and a member of the devising team, described this process further.
Thomas Freeman in "Bound/Unbound: A Queer Quest for Big Love"
Michael Paras | The Montclarion
“Since that time, so much has changed in our society, our culture and our community with regards to this very rich but also very binary play. The reason for working on this piece in this way is to offer a devising process that creates space for the LGBTQIA community and invites inquiry and rumination on the themes of the play through a new lens,” Benton said.
The collaborative process to create the show happened over five weeks, with many members of the queer community featured as collaborators and actors in the show.
“I was humbled by this experience and learned so much from Ania and Leah as well as our brave committed student actors and members of the creative team who also contributed writing, original music, poetry and other creative ideas and aspects of the play,” said Benton.
“Devised Theatre requires a huge amount of trust and vulnerability and a willingness to be flexible and let go of ideas when they don’t work and embrace new ones that may arrive just moments before an audience does. I’m deeply grateful to our students and collaborators and everyone who’s been involved in building and supporting this unique piece.”
Danny Duda, a sophomore acting major who plays Giuliano and Olympia, discussed how he thinks the play will be relevant to Montclair State students.
“The play discusses social inequalities including gender, race, class and intersectionality within all of these different topics,” Duda said. “The audience won’t see this but the play came about through lengthy discussions around all of these topics, among others, so it is utilizing the ideas of [Montclair State] students right now, which is very different from most theatre that comes out of established playwrights.”
“The piece has so many places of interaction with the audience and places where we can feed off of each other’s energy, so it’s really exciting that we are finally going to have an audience that we can work with,” Duda said. “I think that the point of theatre is to get people to think about what you are putting in front of them so, especially in a piece like this, it will be very interesting to discuss what audiences who weren’t part of our process get out of watching and being a part of the show.”
May Wang and Johanna O'Camopo in "Bound/Unbound: A Queer Quest for Big Love
Michael Paras | The Montclarion
Abigail Espinal, a senior double majoring in film & television and theatre studies, described her character and experience as an actor within the show.
“I play Bella/Piero, a housewife who becomes a matriarch as the show progresses, as well as myself but not at the same time,” Espinal said. Since the text is devised and reinterpreted by us, the performers, creative team, and directors, Piero, who is usually Bella’s son, becomes Bella’s matriarchal self in our version, and the “me” I play is the actor playing Bella throughout our version; a mirror of myself if you will.”
“The pieces I wrote for this show are quite special to me, and deeply personal, which makes performing them every night a horrifying but exhilarating experience which evolves each time I do it,” Espinal continued. “The cast and crew are incredible, and although I can be a little socially anxious, they all welcomed me and made me feel so safe, comfortable, and excited for each and every rehearsal.”
The costuming of the show was very creative, helping tell the story and demonstrate the characters becoming unbound with different feminine and masculine garments used on all actors, uncovering various layers of themselves and the society they live in.
The lighting also showcased each character’s monologues and emotions, giving them all a spotlight to speak their truths. “I’m very interested to see how audiences will respond to this piece, as there are many changing styles that shift rapidly from scene to scene and sometimes moment to moment,” said Benton.
“I hope that audiences will feel the bravery and the heart everyone has put into this piece. And that they will come away with their own inquiries and questions about what binds or unbinds them as individuals in our current here and now.”
“Bound/Unbound: A Queer Quest For Big Love” is a theatric experience like no other. It engages audiences to question the gender and social norms around them, as well as issues regarding white feminism and the transgender community. The show is defiant, cathartic, complex and beautiful—a mirror of the diverse student population within Montclair State.
