'Scandal' comes to IU Theatre

Beginning Friday, IU professor of acting and directing Dale McFadden will present “The School for Scandal,” a play about the gossip culture in the late 1700s.

Performances start at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and continue through March 2.

Tickets cost $15 for students and senior citizens and $25 for everyone else.

The play focuses around two storylines. One involves two brothers, Joseph and Charles Surface, and society’s views and judgments of them, whether true or false. The other storyline centers around the unsuited marriage of Lord and Lady Teazle.

A central theme of this play is self-realization in a world overrun by gossip and societal judgment. McFadden, the director for “Scandal,” said having to get this message across with the period the play is set in and the 18th-century language challenged the actors. 

“It gives us an opportunity to have a high design period play with acting challenges for our students,” he said. “I tried to get the students to grasp the language, the humor and the story of our play in a world of intrigue and gossip and slander and show what happens to people who live in this world.”

Alex Goodman, a freshman majoring in theatre and drama, plays Charles’ companion in the show.

“I was so excited to audition for this show because it is unlike any other performance I’ve done,” Goodman said. “This type of comedy is incredibly specific and isn’t often produced. I was thrilled by the opportunity to be involved in something new. It is so important as a performer to be acquainted with different styles of theatre and movement, and it has been such an educational experience to work on this show.”
The play’s characters are obsessed with gossip, which leads to some colorful, eccentric behavior from them.

Junior Drew Jenkins, who plays Sir Benjamin Backbite, said his character and his crazy antics never got old.

“My favorite aspect about my character is the fact that he is so outrageous and expressive,” Jenkins said. “It makes playing my character extremely fun.”
Jenkins said getting to work with McFadden was beneficial, and as a director, had lots of advice to share.

“Dale McFadden has given us so many words of wisdom throughout the process,” he said. “He has told us to be there in the moment and tell your character’s story. But most importantly, have fun with this show. The audience won’t enjoy it if you aren’t enjoying performing it.”

McFadden said he hopes those who see the show recognize the similarities this world has to the present and learn to look past the gossip that overruns our lives.

“I hope people recognize that gossip and dishing and having to have the latest dirt is an unfortunate universal trait that has been around for 250 years,” he said. “Ultimately, people can rise above it all.”