The Colby Echo

Issue date: 12/3/08 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Thomas Bollier

I promised myself that I would do something to start noise and make people think outside of their comfort zones at some point before I graduated. When my Political Theater professor mentioned that guerilla theater (a performance based on social or political issues, generally not framed as "performance") was an option for my project, I jumped at the chance. I decided to focus on a controversial and very important issue: abortion.

The pro-choice rally during Vote Louder was the part of my project meant to make the most noise. About twenty people participated in the crowd, all of whom are amazing for their presence and enthusiasm. The reception of the rally was a bit disappointing, though. People passed by and ignored us. There was no response afterward from people who weren't involved. As a start to the project and a touchstone to gauge reaction, though, it was valuable and I'm very proud of the rally.

The second part of my project was true guerilla theater. I set up a table for Planned Parenthood and scripted an argument between myself and a classmate who was courageous enough to agree to argue as anti-abortion-a stance contradictory to her own personal beliefs. My professor was also a part of the performance and was able to observe passers-by while the argument was occurring. Despite the fact that we ended up yelling at each other in the middle of Pulver, most people completely ignored what was happening (though there were a few very courageous people who came up to us and-unintentionally-joined in the performance by reacting).

The final performance for my project involved readings of pro-choice testimonials in Pulver. This was the quietest performance in the series and it received the exact same treatment as the others. Five people read testimonials from men and women about abortion. Again, a few people stopped to listen (one person even offered to read if I needed anyone else-something I greatly appreciated) but for the most part people ignored the fact that there was a performance going on. Funnily enough, though, this part made people a bit more uncomfortable than the other performances did. People actually turned their heads when the word "abortion" was said during one of the readings. But once the performance was over, it was over: no more responses.

In an atmosphere in which people routinely lambaste each other in the Civil Discourse and remain quiet face-to-face, a pessimistic part of me was expecting no more than the reaction I received. I am disappointed in Colby, though-myself included. Maybe I didn't do enough to get people involved. But being completely ignored just reinforces the Colby bubble stereotype we've been trying to burst for a while now. If we don't talk or act when something strikes us or makes us uncomfortable we're not just ignoring an event; we're helping to uphold the system that exists outside of our small world, a system that denies us our right to control our own bodies and lives.

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