The University of Northern Iowa’s Interpreters’ Theatre, created and directed by Paul Siddens and his graduate performance studies seminar, will be presenting their piece “Strong Enough For a Woman, Gentle Enough For a Man.”
The performances will take place Wednesday and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Lang Halls lower level. There is no cost to attend.
According to Siddens, several years ago, he attended a performance festival and saw a show that broke the typical conventions of theatre. It was interactive in nature and focused on masculinity.
For a few years, he considered how he could create his own show in the same manner. He proposed his vision to his seminar early in the semester, and they were immediately on board. From there, the show gained both momentum and members, with 40 to 50 people active in the production.
“Strong Enough For a Woman, Gentle Enough For a Man” works as more performance art than theatrical performance. The show leans on a museum metaphor and uses installations from actors in the Interpreter’s Theatre, its surrounding hallway and the basement corridor of Lang Hall to challenge the passerby. Through small scenes and set pieces, the performers shed light on how the media, society and families influence how people view gender roles and sexual identity.
Some scenes aim to juxtapose gender roles. For example, a group of women intensely play poker while a set of men throw a baby shower for a father-to-be. Life-sized cutouts of GI Joe and Barbie dolls serve as examples of the body proportion distortion between the figurines and real people.
Women construction workers will take a scaffolding, set up in the middle of Lang Hall, by storm, hooping and hollering suggestive lines at men. Finally, parodies are included, like an episode reminiscent of “Leave It To Beaver” starring a male father and a transgendered mother.
“It’s been a great process. I was really fortunate that my class bought into the initial idea I had. They really made it grow. We were also really fortunate that our cast members were into what we do. The cast members have brought their creativity, the directors have brought their creativity. It’s been a really enriching experience,” Siddens said.
“The construction workers would be my favorite structure. They have some really good pick-up lines,” said Ali Horsted, a senior communication major and a superhero in the performance.
The Interpreters’ Theatre has plans to show more productions throughout the year, including Horsted’s own one-woman show for her senior thesis.
“Strong Enough For a Woman, Gentle Enough For a Man” invites viewers to be as active or passive in experiencing the show as they wish to be.
“I really encourage people to look into it,” Siddens said.
