Ripe Frenzy, currently playing at the Greenway Court Theatre on Fairfax through June 17, is a show that is tragically topical. And seems to be more and more topical every day. In Jennifer Barclay’s play, a small-town high school is preparing to do a production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. On their opening night a shooting takes place at the school. Seen through the eyes of the mothers of the students, Ripe Frenzy shows us what life was like before, during and after the tragic shooting.
Rather than try to point obvious fingers in the direction of gun control advocates or Second Amendment defenders, Barclay examines what role the media has in whipping us all into a frenzy with non-stop coverage, incessant video and more. Does the 24-hour news cycle contribute to the problem?
Alana Dietze directs the show. The cast includes Elizabeth Ann Bennett, Renee Marie Brewster, Melody Butiu, Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson and Liam Springthorpe.
Photo by Michael Lamont