Shandy Wilkes is the title character of a 'play-with-dancing' which is being presented by the Proximity Theatre Company from Santa Barbara, California, at the Robert Moss Theater, 440 Lafayatte here in New York City on August 18, 19 and 20. Kokyat and I went to the dress rehearsal on August 17th where we were drawn into the story of a girl - named Shandy Wilkes - with an unusual 'gift': her eyes are mirrors which reflect back to whoever looks at her their deepest fears and horrors.
Shandy is a girl who doesn't fit in. Over time, with much doubt and pain, she comes to terms with herself and with those who care about her. Foremost of these is her grandmother, from whom she inherited her unusual affliction. In Kokyat's photo at the top, the Siena Perez del Campo as Maria Carmen explains to Shandy (Chiara Perez del Campo) their mutual predicament.
The young players of the Proximity troupe play multiple roles. Above, Karina Richardson (who wrote the play) as Shandy's mother looks at baby Shandy for the first time. Her own mother, at right, is not surprised by Shandy's appearance.
As a young girl Shandy dwells in her own world with her friends Dragon and Unicorn (Gabriela London and Jake Himovitz, above) who argue with each other over what's best for Shandy. But eventually she must face reality...
...only to find that people cannot cope with her: her mother is told by the school principal (Ian Wexler) to find another school for her misfit daughter since the girl baffles and terrifies her classmates.
Shandy begins wearing dark glasses to cover her secret. But she does find one person who can look into her eyes: Hymn (Jake Himovitz, above). They fall deeply in love but Shandy is plagued by doubts.
Inheriting a fortune from her grandmother, Shandy becomes a celebrity. TV talk show host Tabitha (Eliana Schiffer, above) devotes a program to Shandy's story.
Suddenly popular, Shandy celebrates her birthday (three months late)...
...but then retreats into isolation. The ghost of her grandmother appears for a heart-to-heart and urges Shandy to face the realities of her life...
...and to return to Hymn.
In the end it seemed to me that Shandy Wilkes is about being different, about learning to accept and even love yourself; about the people who will help you come to terms with the realities of your life, and about those who will love you for yourself, despite - or perhaps because of - the fact that you are different from everyone else.
The play was enhanced by live music performed by Ben Himovitz, Chris Lisanti, Ken Urbina, and Zach Wallace. Effective lighting and a few simple props helped to tell the story but it was really the thespian talents and plain old enthusiasm of the actors that kept Shandy Wilkes on track.
I especially like this photo of Shandy and her granny, celebrating their common bond. Click to enlarge.
All photos by Kokyat.