Sympathizer is the story of sixteen year-old Calla whose best friend does something bad. Like, really bad. Calla tries to do the right thing in the #MeToo era.
“Collins’ dialogue crackles along…It is encouraging to see the fearless storytelling a new generation of theatre artists is bringing to the stage.”
“Sympathizer is Unafraid to Get Messy,” Miranda Giles, Utah Theatre Bloggers
“The entire play feels like shaking a carbonated drink, with tension rising and falling over and over again before it finally pops.”
Alexis Perno, Slug Mag
Sympathizer is now on the New Play Exchange! Find the script here.
“One of my favorite discoveries came from an audience member at the production of “Sympathizer.” They were a [sexual assault] survivor themselves and after the performance we had a long conversation about the difficulty of a survivor seeing their perpetrator go on to live a normal life. In that conversation, I realized an important nuance that the script was missing. I realized that, as important as it was to highlight empathy as an agent of change, it was equally important to validate the fact that no one owes a perpetrator a second chance. Full stop. That conversation added a whole scene to the current draft of the script!
When I started thinking about these issues, I was afraid to share my questions and thoughts with the people in my life because it was taboo to question the logic of my political group. Questioning meant disloyalty—it was equated to being what my peer group called an “abuser sympathizer.” Now, I am less afraid of social repercussions because I feel so passionate about the conclusions that my research has brought me—human beings are complicated. Shame doesn’t work. Empathy does.
Professors in the Actor Training Program would often ask us to identify our artistic voices by asking ourselves the question: ‘as an artist, what do you need to say?’ Through my research, I have found my artistic voice. What I believe I have to offer to the world is my passion about and belief in the power of empathy.”
“Sympathizer is the first play by a promising young playwright at the University of Utah. Serena Collins has built a play with distinct characters, a realistic flow of dialogue, and approaches the important conversation about accountability for sexual assault with fresh ideas and nuance.”
“Reviewers Sound Off: Excellence in 2021” Miranda Giles
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Serena Collins 