Starting off the spring semester of the School of Theatre and Dance’s 2023-24 season is Space Girl, written by Mora V. Harris and directed by John McCall, Jr. Space Girl uses the metaphor of an alien trying to blend in as a human on Earth to tell an emotionally compelling story of loneliness—of the outsider looking in.
During an interview, Harris said the heart of her story was the exploration of “the loneliness of being a human being, our desire for friendship and connection, and our fear of being alone.” McCall echoed this sentiment when he discussed his approach to the show: “I think the play itself at least in my mind plays big on the struggles of being on the outside of the social bubble looking in, longing to be accepted by the collective.”
Arugula, the young protagonist of Space Girl, struggles to adapt to the unspoken social conventions of Earth and becomes caught between the expectations of high school and the culture of her home planet, Zlagdor. She is the new student, the stranger in a foreign land, and her efforts to understand her desires, identity, and place in the universe may cause her to drift further away from where she thought she belonged.
Arugula’s story is one that many students at Illinois State University can relate to whether they are freshmen, transfer students, out-of-state students, or international students. Starting at a new university can be an othering experience when surrounded by those who seem to already fit in.
Illinois State takes great care to provide its students with plenty of resources to help them find a sense of community on campus. The University has over 400 registered student organizations (RSOs) that include Greek life, clubs that celebrate cultures from around the world, and recreational clubs for even the most niche interests.
The Redbird Life portal catalogs all current RSOs and lists upcoming events. The Student Involvement Center, in the Bone Student Center, has staff who work with students to find involvement opportunities that fit their needs and interests, and if the current RSOs are not what a student is looking for, then they can start their own RSO by following the instructions on the Student Organization Registration webpage.
Harris wrote Space Girl with the hope that the show would inspire people to be more compassionate toward newcomers in their community. Telling Arugula’s story is just one of the steps that the School of Theatre and Dance is taking to live up to Harris’ “idea of making others feel like they belong.”
Space Girl will be performed in Westhoff Theatre on February 16-17 and 21-24 at 7:30 p.m. as well as on February 18 at 2 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased in person at the Center for the Performing Arts Box Office on the campus of Illinois State University by calling (309) 438-2535 or on the box office website.
If you need accommodations to fully participate in this program, please contact the Center for the Performing Arts Box Office at (309) 438-2535. Please allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.
