Play Created to Address Sexual Assault


10/09/2014

At the end of the 2013-2014 school year, professor Daniel Rairdin-Hale was asked to write a short play to perform the first week of the 2014 school year demonstrating the warning signs and dangers of sexual assault, specifically in a college environment. So, Professor Hale did just that. His play also featured lights and sound design by Aaron Hook, who is on the theatre staff here at St. Ambrose.

The show was called Take Two and included a game show scene showing how much alcohol is in different kinds of drinks; a party scene illustrating what possible situations First Year students could be confronted with in college; and scenes simply stating what you can do if you are in a dangerous situation involving alcohol and potential sexual assault or if you see someone else who is in that situation.

There were also resources for students who have been victims of sexual assault. The Counseling Center and bystander group at St. Ambrose looked over the script and edited it with official information about sexual assault prevention.

Professor Hale cast the show with SAU students, not professional actors. He wanted students that could relate to the subject matter because they are still in college themselves. It was a tough subject matter, but Professor Hale trusted these students to deal with it well. Seniors Brooke Shelley and Chris Galvan, junior Shannon Rourke and sophomore Sam Jones were the four actors. Even though it was presented over a month ago, people still are talking about it!

The four actors came back to school a week early with the script memorized, rehearsed every day for a week, and performed for a full Allaert auditorium. The script was written specifically for all the incoming freshmen; they were required to see the play with their New Student Seminar classes.

However, it was not just freshman who attended: there were also several athletics teams required to attend. There was not an empty seat in the house. The balconies were even opened up and completely full.

"It was one of the largest audiences I've ever preformed for," Rourke said. "I was really nervous at the start, but the audience was great! They responded really well and seemed very attentive and seemed like they enjoyed it!"

The response from campus was really superb, spurring lots of great discussion. History professor Larry Skillin said, "my NSS section had a really good discussion of it, and I think that the message was well received by the student body."

It is so wonderful to see how a play put on by our Theatre Department had such a great effect on the entire student body. It shows how the arts can have a magnificent, positive impact on its audience.

On September 3, Professor Dan Hale was presented with an award for his stupendous work on Take Two! It's called the Traveling Trophy for the College of Arts and Sciences. Sarah Vortriede-Patton, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, presented him with this award. They are pictured above.

Mr. Hale was completely surprised! He had no idea this was happening, so the head of the Theatre Department, Dr. Corinne Johnson, and Rourke, Shelley, and Galvan went to his office with Dr. Vortriede-Patton to see the surprise on his face! It was a wonderful start to the school year for the St. Ambrose Theatre Department, and it is especially great to hear that people all around campus are still talking about it!

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