In this episode, we're talking with guest director and professor Beth Reeves, who came to us from Columbus State University to direct our production of Naomi Iizuka's POLAROID STORIES and teach a directing class and special workshop.
In this episode, we're talking with guest director and professor Beth Reeves, who came to us from Columbus State University to direct our production of Naomi Iizuka's Polaroid Stories and teach a directing class and special workshop.
To learn more about Beth, please visit her website here: https://www.bethreevesartist.com/
For more about our production of Polaroid Stories, read our release about it here: https://news.olemiss.edu/polaroid-stories-tells-greek-myth-through-street-youth/
The Department of Theatre & Film is grateful for its patrons and corporate sponsors. As a department we are committed to the high quality instruction that our students receive. Investing in the students’ education and these quality productions helps us move toward our common goal of graduating successful, creative adults who are lifelong learners. If you are interested in contributing to these efforts, please visit: https://umfoundation.givingfuel.com/theatreandfilm
From the Department of Theatre & Film at the University of Mississippi, this is Stage & Screen.
Katherine Stewart
Hello hello, and welcome back to Stage & Screen! I’m your host, Katherine Stewart, and I am so excited to introduce today’s guest. Beth Reeves is an actor, director, and educator at Columbus State University in North Georgia, and she is visiting us this semester primarily to direct our production of Naomi Iizuka’s Polaroid Stories, but also to teach a directing class and special workshop.
Beth is fascinating and so fun to talk to, and our students absolutely love working with her. This was a really special conversation, so please stick around to learn more about Beth, her work, and our latest show.
Katherine Stewart
OK, good morning Beth. How are you doing today?
Beth Reeves
I'm doing good, how are you?
Katherine Stewart
I'm doing great thank you so much for taking the time to visit with us. Appreciate it just to get it started. Would you maybe introduce yourself? Tell us kind of who you? Are where you're from and and and what? You do when you're not in Oxford.
Beth Reeves
So my formal name is Elizabeth, but I go by Beth, so I'm a. I'm a daughter, I'm a. I am an animal lover. I'm a country girl. When I'm not teaching I'm back at home in North Georgia, working with my dad in the garden and I love to journal. They yeah, that's that's who I am and what I do is. Use theater and I teach theater kind of inform of catharsis to help heal. In any type of way, so I do that through. I work at Columbus State University Department here, and I'm also a graduate 1/2 time graduate of the program, so. Who I am is a country girl from North Georgia. I love Pinterest I. Love the girl. Looking up new recipes, anything on Pinterest that I see, I'm like Oh my God, I can make that and. I try to make. It it's not good, but it's OK. But what I do is is using theater. As a as a. Form of of of healing and teaching. So yeah, that's pretty much what I mean.
Katherine Stewart
Wonderful, wonderful thank you. Thank you so you came to us via a call seeking an early career by Park director and teacher. So Grant supported program it's great and also to direct Naomi Iizuka's Polaroid stories. So what was it about that opportunity that appeal to you and why did you decide to apply?
Beth Reeves
I love the fact that through Iizuka's work, because when I my friend who's actually a spoken word artist and my best friend actually he uses spoken word also as form of healing and he actually came across it and he goes into the prisons and to schools to to help people of all ages. So he and I kind of. Really click when it comes to that and he told me about the opportunity and I had just wrapped up directing an all African American cast of steel magnolias. And he saw what I did with that, and what I did was to celebrate black aesthetics and Black Beauty, which was really big in Columbus. And he was like, OK, you're on to something I was like. Thank you and he told me about the opportunity here at the University of Mississippi. And what I like is the fact that I'm in a space where I can celebrate because I personally don't like the. I want you to see that I am an African American woman. I'm proud of that and that's my way of paying homage to my ancestors. So what I like particularly about this space and this story is the fact that I'm able to use my culture and MyHeritage to promote humanity. Inside the rehearsal space, you see that I'm a black woman and I like that, but you also see that. Through my directing and through working with you, I'm bringing out humanity, so that's really what drew me to this piece, because even in the work we don't talk about race, we don't. We don't talk about color, we don't talk about culture, you seek culture, it's celebrated, but it's not. In your face or I'm trying to prove you know, even steel magnolias. Everyone asked like oh. My gosh, how did? Do that, I'm thinking at the end of the day, they're all human, right? So I saw that in this opportunity and and I I love that, and even in the. Rehearsal space all shades all. Color, but at the end of the day, we're telling a human story. So that's yeah.
Katherine Stewart
Well yeah, so Speaking of that human story, can you maybe describe Polaroid stories for us in your? Own words tell. Us a little bit about the play.
Beth Reeves
This is probably one of the most when I first picked up the script. I didn't quite get it, but as now we're in the rehearsal space. I get it and it's really credit. The students you all have phenomenal students here and the story is a story based off of David's metamorphosis and and it's. You don't have to know Greek myth to know the story, but it's a mixture of some of the Greek myth stories that you've heard about Orpheus, and you're going to see, and Dionysus and Philomel, but it's also stories about children who are are young teenagers who are homeless. OK, so it's a blend of the two. And it's very it's abstract. It's non-linear. There's not a beginning middle end per say. I always tell the cast the story starts and it stops. So it takes you on this journey of what we as humans go through, be it grief, be it heartache, be it drug use. There's a lot of profanity. I will say within the piece, but when we go through these different emotions and we're just trying to figure out life, sometimes that comes out. It takes place within the inner city, and I think originally it said it's like off the pier of the water. But something Jerry and I had said was that how cool it be if they're because in Greek mythology they talk about the underworld. Right, So what if we put them underneath the city? So it's like they're kind of in this labyrinth. Or like within this maze, and through all of their trials and tribulations that they're going through. They're trying to get out, literally and figuratively. They're homeless, some have been raped, some have again turned to drug use. But at the end of the day, their home as figuratively and literally, and it's just a story about what we as human beings go through and as. Heavy as it is, is probably one of the most beautiful stories that I've ever. So it's almost a journey of what we go through in terms of our emotions mixed with a little bit of Greek myth. But you don't know you don't have to know Greek mythology to know this. This this story, so it's. It's beautifully written really.
Katherine Stewart
Because it's it. It's human stories, right?
Beth Reeves
Stories and. Naomi, that originally Interview St. Kids and some of them were prostitutes. Some of them were were drug dealers and every time she would interview them the stories would change. Just wait, you didn't say that the last time, so it's almost a mixture of kind of with Greek myth too. What's real and what's not and somewhere within that lies the truth so. But now that we're up on our feet doing it, you'll even hear the actors are. Like oh, Oh my gosh. That time's. Oh wait, so it's like you're putting the pieces to to together so it's beautifully written but very abstract. But very compelling at the same time.
Katherine Stewart
Yeah, that shows up in the play too because there are a couple of characters who are sort of. Rewriting their own stories, and they keep saying, here's how it went. No, no, that's not how it went. How it went?
Beth Reeves
Absolutely, absolutely absolutely yeah it is.
Katherine Stewart
Yeah, it's fascinating.
Beth Reeves
And I I even with me. It's been kind of cathartic. I haven't obviously dealt with a lot of what the characters have been through, but in terms of the emotion. Like feeling stuck going in circles and circles and circles and circles and circles, it's. Like there's that sense of frustration so. Yeah, it's very powerful. It really is.
Katherine Stewart
So, so, given all that, as a director could, what is your overarching vision for the play?
Beth Reeves
For the audience to feel a part of the story, so I got together with the sound designer and the light designers, and I was like I really want this to feel very inclusive. I don't want it to feel as. Though the audience look and they say oh wow, we feel sorry for those. I wanted to feel like Oh my gosh, I'm in here I'm I'm. I'm a part of the journey. With them Because to me it's just about us all being on the same level and us being. Newman and then Jared and I had. An idea of. Really showing aesthetically but showing that with any situation that you're in there is hope. So no matter how dark it gets and no matter how you're trying to figure it out and. No matter how much. You feel alone there is hope. So he and I thought of a don't want to give too much. Away, but they're I. Mean one or two things that you'll see that reference references. There is light on the other side there is. There is a. Way out sometimes it's. You don't see it because you're so tied up, and sometimes you do see it that you're afraid of freedom, right? So for the audience to feel as though. They're part of the story and. For the audience and for the characters to see that there is hope was definitely my. Vision for this.
Katherine Stewart
Wonderful so you touched on this a little bit earlier, but but this play does have some some challenging subjects and challenging situations. How, how would you advise audiences and especially student audiences? Because a large portion of our audience and students to approach this material. And to approach the play.
Beth Reeves
Yeah, approach it. Ready approach it with an open mind and so my goal for the audience is when they leave because I always use theater as a teaching tool. I my goal is to to draw audience members to entertain and to educate and not and and not and you know, to educate and to enlighten and not entertain. So through that, my hope and approaches that when you do come see the show that you leave with a lot of questions, questions like. How can I help within my community? Where do I see myself in that character? Maybe I haven't gone through drugs. Maybe I haven't gone through prostitution, but I have felt what they had felt. So my goal is that you approach it with an open mind, but you leave with a lot of questions and I'm hoping that those questions really are. How can I help within my community? How can I help? Do I research? Do I give back to a food bank? Do I? Is there a friend that I know that's maybe going through? What one of those characters are going through and how can I help, right? Yeah, and you can only. Yeah, you you can't take. Oh you you can't take something if you don't. Have open arms. Right, so my goal is for them to have an open arm, open arms and an open mind with them to see this. And then you take away questions with how you can help those going forward, yeah?
Katherine Stewart
And then and then sort of sort of the same question, but. From a directing perspective, you're you're guiding young performers. This experience as well, so how how? Is your directing? Relating to to some of those difficult difficult subjects.
Beth Reeves
You know, and I I, I don't just say this like this cast has been one of the best casts I've ever. Work and I'm the probably the realist person you'll ever meet. And I mean I, I'm being honest when I say that they are. So I'll I'll, I'll. I don't even feel it's like I'm directing them, they just know I feel like I'm guiding. And they'll try something I'm like. Oh my gosh, I didn't see it that. Way but yeah do it. Go go go. So first and foremost I'm I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with him, and I personally feel like I'm in a master class watching them. I'm like, oh oh great, keep going, but at the same time I also tell my creative team. When it comes to these characters. Even if you. Take away because a lot of the characters are associated with myth stories. At the end of the day, I know these characters. I know because I was a former director of Educational outreach for the state of Georgia, where I went into behavior programs to help kids, either through substance abuse issues or or some of them were classified as emotionally disturbed and I use theater as form of of of. Healing, right? I'm not a therapist but I use creativity to help them cope right? So something that I tell every Friday we have a circle where we just obviously before every rehearsal we talk because it's important you can't really get up with the script and just go. You got to talk it through, but we have kind of a check in. We had it last Friday. We'll have it this Friday. We'll have it next week because these characters are so heavy. You got to put them down at the end of the night or at the end of the rehearsal. You don't want to take these situations home with you, right? Because also we want to check in with our. Our mental health so. We just have a a circle where we talk and go OK. We're discoveries that you're making with your characters. And they have the privilege. And I have the privilege as a director to put this. Those heavy feelings I get to put them down. But then you also have kids at night, and teenagers who can't put this down. Right, so my approach with them is yes, you're playing a character, but you're also playing real life because I know these kids. I had one young man who really I believe he was. If he was locked up and he had just gotten. Out and he told his probation officer officer I want to make a difference. I want to I want to change my life and this was two years ago. I want to change my life and I want to try acting so the probation officer and I got together and like. OK, let's set this up where. He gets start acting in like a week before I was to start working with him. The gang retaliated and shot and killed him. So I yeah so that. Kept and and back then I was I was. I was still at the state theater Georgia but. I was doing. A lot of like behind the desk work and I was like I got. I gotta get out more in the community. It just kind of it. Was a catalyst for me to go and. Try to make change you know so it's a reminder to them. You get to put these characters down. You also get the honor of playing them. So many times in society and in schools or rehab centers, you know, we don't want that kid, just put them. In that class. You know, but they're human and in a way, they are a superhero. They are a God. Going back to Greek myth, right?
Katherine Stewart
Yeah, yeah.
Beth Reeves
So the honor and pleasure of playing that because even adults that don't want them, those adults probably couldn't face what those kids are facing. So those kids are probably, you know, stronger than than the adults so. But that's the way we approach it. So it is a character. But it's really not a character, because these people walk the streets. All the time. And and and they are gods in the sense that they. Are strong and. Powerful, the same way that Greek myth. Says that they are. We just happen to see their flaws more right, so that's what we do. We we check in with each other. We leave it there. And I tell them their homework is sleep. Rest rest rest rest. You know, shake it off shake. It off because it it is a it's. A heavy show. But also what I like is the fact that the the rehearsal space has been just. We laugh a lot. We talk, we check in with each other so it's it's not a space where it's like completely sad, but it's it's a it's a very happy, safe space.
Katherine Stewart
So you're directing this play, but I don't want to leave out that you're also teaching for us in the first spring term. I would I would love to hear a little bit about your directing class and also. You mentioned a workshop. That you had developed and are bringing to us. I'd love. To hear about that.
Beth Reeves
I'm teaching directing. Love it, I mean y'all have the best students. I was. Nervous today. When and I walked in and. Everybody was just nice. I was like oh God, y'all just.
Katherine Stewart
We love them.
Beth Reeves
So yes, so they're great. So I I teach directing and I'd approach teaching and directing with my my pedagogy, which is stems a lot from West African culture and and storytelling. So we're taking directing, but we're looking at. It more from a cultural. And through West Africa, so we're using West Africa, kind of as a paradigm to. Help cultivate what directing looks like, so that's and and it's it's a I knew the day that I wanted to be.
Katherine Stewart
OK wow.
Beth Reeves
A teacher was a day I I wanted to be a student. For the rest of my. Life, so it's very much group centered. It's I don't lecture a lot, we just get up and do we learn by doing. There are moments where they'll teach me right? And then with the workshop it's pretty much based off of kind of what I said. For what I do in the Community back in Columbus, which is. Using theater and West African storytelling as a as a. Way to heal. Be it through yourself or with groups of people so the workshop is pretty much based off of my thing. My thesis is called preserving. Was it preserving W African storytelling in the Pittsburgh cycle and taking on how August Wilson, who's one of my favorite playwrights, was kind of a grio who was a a storyteller out of. I think the 13th or 13th or 12th century in West Africa, so. Yeah, centers kind of along there and I say West Africa because I honor my ancestors. But again, kind of going back to what we said before is through that. That we see that everybody is human. So yeah, so that's what it's about.
Katherine Stewart
Yeah, well I'm sure. The students are really enjoying it.
Speaker
So they.
Beth Reeves
Seem to be they're awesome.
Speaker
Yeah, yeah.
Katherine Stewart
Really awesome yeah. So I guess just back back to the play since. We'll be opening in about a month. What do you hope audiences will take away from it? You you touch on this a little. Bit earlier, but.
Beth Reeves
Yeah, I hope. That when they come, their hearts are open, their minds are open. And that. There's a little shift. A little little shift because I think a tiny shift is more is more effective than a complete 180, right? So that there's a shift in the way. You look at people. I like to use inclusive words, so I don't say I try not to say I or me a lot. But we us our so that when you do see. You are hurting. It's less you. And more us. That you can. Again, you can only take away what you're open to. So you come with clothes, arms, you're not gonna take away anything and you come with a nose fine, you won't take away anything but you come with an open heart open ears open mind I guarantee you. And you may find yourself in the script. You you might, I am every day I'm. Like Oh my. Gosh, you know it's like a. It's almost like a when you see a picture. It's a 3D picture and it pops out at you. You can't look at. The picture the same. But I I what I want them to take away is a. Is open open mind, open ears and open.
Katherine Stewart
I hope they will. Too yeah, yeah.
Speaker
I do.
Beth Reeves
I really do, yeah.
Katherine Stewart
Well, is there anything else you'd? Like to add before we wrap up.
Beth Reeves
See, it comes here, it's. Amazing cast, amazing cast and. I don't want to give it away. I don't want.
Katherine Stewart
No spoilers, we got it.
Beth Reeves
Yeah, and to me it's it's literally art in motion, it's. It's just art, it's art moving. It's poetry. It's rhythmic, it's movement. It's soul, you know. To act as to do but also to act as to give. And I love actors every night. Thank you for your offering because you're bearing your souls every night so it gives me chills thinking about it. But just come see the show. It's just one you don't want to miss honestly.
Katherine Stewart
Well, thank you so much Beth. It's been lovely visiting with you today and again, I appreciate.
Speaker
You taking the time.
Beth Reeves
Absolutely thank you.
Katherine Stewart
Once again, that was Beth Reeves, guest director and professor during our Spring 2023 semester. To learn more about Beth and Polaroid Stories, check the show notes, where you will find links and more. As always, we’ll have more fun conversations coming for you as the semester progresses, so if you haven’t already done so, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Until next time, this is Stage & Screen.