Jennifer Barclay & Jared Mezzocchi’s Ripe Frenzy Eerily Relevant

In the midst of the #NeverAgain movement, The School of Theatre Dance and Performance Studies’ Assistant Professor, Jennifer Barclay’s new play, Ripe Frenzy seems like it’s been copied straight from the headlines.

Director Bridget Kathleen O’Leary (right) works with actor Veronica Duerr, who plays Zoe, during a rehearsal of “Ripe Frenzy.” (Photo Courtesy of Boston Globe)

We live in time where the polarizing topic of gun violence and gun control is a complex conversation with a seemingly elusive solution.

In the midst of the #NeverAgain movement, The School of Theatre Dance and Performance Studies’ Assistant Professor, Jennifer Barclay’s new play, Ripe Frenzy seems like it’s been copied straight from the headlines. In the play, a small town deals with the ramifications of mass shootings. Jared Mezzocchi, Assistant Professor of at TDPS, specializing in projection design, became an integral part of Ripe Frenzy’s development after a conversation with Jennifer that began as footage of a real life murder bombarded their Twitter feeds. As a result of this discussion, Barclay collaborated with Jared and began to incorporate video projection as a core component of telling this story.

“I hope this play will help bring to light more bipartisan conversation since it’s not a partisan play. It’s not about gun control.” Jen tells TERP

Read more in TERP article, A Topic “Ripe” For Exploring  and Boston Globe article, In this fictional town, the consequences of a school shooting are all too real.

Mezzochi tells American Theatre “The script gives compassion to the grey area, and that unlocks our ability to have conversations,” he explains. “When we talk about these tragedies, so often it’s this massive spectacle where we shame everyone who didn’t see it coming.” Jared hopes that the play encourages the audience to “engage in a conversation with their children, their communities, in a way that isn’t just about blame.”

Read more in American Theatre article, Plays About with Varying Aims.

Ripe Frenzy is being produced around the country this season as part of a National New Play Network rolling world premiere. It has played at the New Rep in Boston and will next play at Synchronicity Theatre in Atlanta (April 13-May 6), and Greenway Court Theatre in Los Angeles (May 17-June 17).