Southern Oregon University’s Theater Arts Department’s performance of “The Story of Opal: The Journal of an Understanding Heart” is a heartwarming depiction of the wonderment of childhood.
“The Story of Opal” is about a young girl growing up in Cottage Grove, Ore. The story takes place in a small mill community in 1904 and the surrounding forest in which Opal spends all her time. During her exploration in the forest, she makes friends with the animals and trees around her, giving them names, personalities and a permanent place in her reality.
“The Story of Opal” is a touching tale of the simplicity of a child’s world. Opal embodies the brilliance of a child’s mind, accepting life and death as a part of a cycle, seeing the beauty in the most mundane of things and instilling love, hope and laughter in the lives of those she meets. Creating this play from journals and “prints” Opal left behind, writer Gale Childs Daly gave a voice to the inner workings of this child genius.
This simple yet beautiful story is accompanied by a cast of talented actors and a set that lets the mind wander. Hannah Gassaway, Elsbeth Poe, Marie Murphy, Heath Koerschgen and Zack Myers played not only five different Opals, but all her animal friends, tree friends, significant people in her life as well as important places in her life.
The set, designed by Roxanne Miftahittin, gave way for the imagination to play and grow. The simple yet effective set was enhanced by the use of lighting, designed by Maria Buzard. With the story following Opal through different seasons and locations, the paneling allowed the lights to establish the setting. The cake-topper of the set was a large circle, woven out of tree branches and fairy lights, which hung above the stage like a halo. This, along with the tree branches woven through the bars of the catwalk overhead, gave the set and the story a very natural, magical feeling.
The Story of Opal captured the simplicity, beauty and kindness of a child yet to be hindered by the troubles of adult life. The Story of Opal will play February 12-28 in the Center Square Theater. The show starts at 7 p.m.
