Written by Elizabeth Funderburk, Staff Writer
Senior Zoe Crews (‘22) has been hard at work over the last several weeks directing the play Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker. She chose this specific play “because [she] fell in love with the characters.” James, Marty, Shultz, Theresa, and Lauren are lovable characters because they are so imperfectly human, with their stories mirroring the experiences of everyday people.
Set in the mid-2000s, Zoe describes how “the show is about five people and their journey through a six week course and how their lives and relationships change throughout that course.” The five characters go through ups and downs as the show progresses, ultimately showing significant personal growth (for the most part) by the end. Similarly, Zoe has grown within the theatre program at Austin College. Last spring, she acted in Abbey Goodman’s student direct, Emilie. Now, she’s running her own show. This experience has helped her tremendously in her position as a director. “Being in shows previously led me to direct from an actor’s perspective, and really let my cast create their characters,” she explained.
In addition to directing, Zoe is involved in the sorority Iota Eta and theatre fraternity Alpha Psi Omega. She is majoring in theatre with a minor in education and will be working with a nonprofit called Music Meets Medicine after graduation. Additionally, she is building curriculum for music academies that will be sold nationwide.
The show will be performed on November 11th, 12th, and 13th at 7:30 PM each night in the newly renovated Sally & Jim Nation Theatre. Tickets are free with an Austin College ID and are $8 for general admission.
