The upcoming production of “The Trees” at the Pittsburgh Playhouse is almost here and promises to be a unique and thought-provoking experience. Written by Agnes Borinsky and under the direction of Adil Mansoor, the play follows two siblings whose feet are mysteriously rooted in the ground. This forces them to reflect on their identity and connections as the world moves on around them.
For Cecilla Staggers, a sophomore acting major who is also making her Playhouse debut with this production, the experience has been a deeply rewarding one.
“It’s been a very enjoyable process,” Staggers said. “It’s a lot of hard work, but now that we’re approaching opening night, it’s coming all together. I’m very grateful that this has been my first show with the Playhouse, it’s been an all-around great experience.” While this is her first time performing at the Playhouse, she shared that the process has been both challenging and fulfilling.
Staggers went on to explain that the cast began rehearsals by closely analyzing the play and their characters before moving into any physical rehearsals.
“The rehearsal process has been very methodical,” she said. “We started with reading through the play and making note of important details, either for our characters or for the story in general. Then, we worked on staging the scenes and worked up to where we were comfortable before entering tech week.”
Now, what makes “The Trees” particularly challenging for the cast is its unconventional structure. The play does not follow a typical story progression, forcing the actors to approach their roles in a nontraditional way. This unique structure, though difficult, has allowed the cast to push themselves creatively.
“This play is an interesting challenge for everyone because it doesn’t flow the way other plays do,” Staggers explained.
Stella Frazer, a junior theatre production major, also played a crucial role in creating this show as she was the Scendic Designer. Although this is her first time leading a deisgn project for the Playhouse, Frazer is no stranger to production design.
“While this is my first lead design position on a Playhouse show, I’ve previously been able to work as an assistant designer on shows like “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” Frazer said.
Frazer further explained that the design process has not been easy, spending countless hours preparing this show since early June.
She said, “There were hundreds of versions of “The Trees” before we finally settled on this specific iteration of a concept.”
Although it has been a lot of work, Frazer explained that this show is very personal.
“This show is very personal to me, and the creative team, I feel, truly embodies what it is all about,” Frazer said, “We’re this island of queer misfit toys searching for belonging in this crazy world, navigating isolation and fear.”
Now, for anyone interested in seeing the show, performances of “The Trees” will take place at the Rauh Theatre, located on the third floor of the Pittsburgh Playhouse. Tickets are available through the Playhouse’s website or box office, with students able to claim tickets for free using their student IDs.
Audiences will also have the opportunity to engage in discussion with the playwright and the director on Sunday, Oct. 13, following the matinee showing.
