In a single word, one could describe the story of “The Secretaries” as ‘campy.’ In four words, it would be ‘campy to the max.’
On the nights of April 11 and 12, “The Secretaries” came to life at UB’s Center for the Arts Rehearsal Workshop through the effort of its talented cast: Sadie Everhart, Haleena Haddad, Julia Pitarresi, Alexis Qiao, Anieris Rivera-Colon, Larisa Rivera-Vasquez and Emilia Vischi.
The play follows Patty Johnson, an innocent new hire at Coony Lumber Mill played by Pitarresi. Patty stumbles through a series of events that force her to reexamine her identity — culminating in a scene where she grips a bloodied axe and a severed limb in each hand.
What begins as ordinary secretarial work and cliquey office banter quickly transforms into something unrecognizably terrifying and magnificently brutal.
Written by Maureen Angelos, Babs Davy, Dominique Dibbell, Peg Healey and Lisa Kron, and directed by Janet Werther, “The Secretaries” is a satirical and expressionist dramatic comedy that plays with themes of feminism, queerness, and group mentality, transporting viewers to a new world as soon as the lights dim.
At its core, “The Secretaries” is a unique and thrilling interactive experience between its characters and the audience. In exchange for the audience’s suspension of disbelief, the actors repay this debt in kind by bringing their utmost energy portraying their exaggerated caricatures of characters.
Qiao had an infectious, flamboyant humor when playing Dawn Midnight, the only openly lesbian character of the group. Meanwhile, Everhart embodied the girls’ manipulative and imposing boss, Susan Curtis, to a tee.
Rivera-Colon captured the awkward nature of misfit Peaches Martin extremely well, making Peaches’ rebellion in the final act all the more captivating. Rivera-Vasquez used the perfect amount of snark and sass when playing office mean-girl, Ashley Elizabeth Fratangelo. Her iconic high-pitched cackle echoed off the walls of the room and cemented her presence in the scene like no other.
Pitarresi excelled in her role as Patty Johnson, flaunting the range of her acting prowess and physical comedy, a culmination of her years of experience in musical theatre.
What began with blood, chainsaws and severed limbs, ended with something far more terrifying: a thrilling, murderous cult of secretaries, channeling divine feminine rage.
The arts desk can be reached at arts@ubspectrum.com
