The Golden Ladder

The Golden Ladder

The Golden Ladder was, thus far, the most interesting presentation for me. I attended the event with my boyfriend, who, like the main character, has a father who is Jewish and a mother who is Presbyterian. As I watched the play, I noticed the relationships develop in a fashion similar to the relationships in Ryan's family, and I saw the same search for identity.

I found myself identifying closely with the lead character, Catherine, because I too went through a phase of determining my religion. I was Catholic, born and raised, but I was unsure whether or not I truly believed it or simply was told to accept it as true. As Cathy examined the different religions, she exposed the stereotypes of each, and then disproved them. I found this to be a good approach to serious issues, and from this I saw a new purpose for theatre. Besides being enjoyable and entertaining, it was used to discuss concerns that society usually steps around.

The set-up of the theatre made me feel much more connected to the actors. Because there were no walls and no aisles between the stage and the audience, it gave the illusion of being a part of the play as it progressed. In doing so, I think the play captured the attention of the audience and held it better than it would have if it were set on a different stage.

I also attended the discussion panel following the show. It was strange to try to connect with the actors outside of their character roles. For instance, it was surprising to see that Jean is actually a very reasonable woman, because through her character I grew to know her as a slightly delusional, poorly educated woman. It also allowed me to see where the actors found their motivations for their roles and determine how they related with them.

The most important thing I feel this play brought me was a better understanding of other religions. Though it was an encounter with the art of theatre, it was also an encounter with other belief systems, and because of this I found a new directive of the art itself.