The Golden Ladder

The Golden Ladder

The Golden Ladder was, thus far, the most interesting presentation for me. I attended the event with my boyfriend, who, like the main character, has a father who is Jewish and a mother who is Presbyterian. As I watched the play, I noticed the relationships develop in a fashion similar to the relationships in Ryan’s family, and I saw the same search for identity.

I found myself identifying closely with the lead character, Catherine, because I too went through a phase of determining my religion. I was Catholic, born and raised, but I was unsure whether or not I truly believed it or simply was told to accept it as true. As Cathy examined the different religions, she exposed the stereotypes of each, and then disproved them. I found this to be a good approach to serious issues, and from this I saw a new purpose for theatre. Besides being enjoyable and entertaining, it was used to discuss concerns that society usually steps around.

The set-up of the theatre made me feel much more connected to the actors. Because there were no walls and no aisles between the stage and the audience, it gave the illusion of being a part of the play as it progressed. In doing so, I think the play captured