It may not have a theater to call home anymore, but the Moravian University Theatre Company is far from dead.
Its members intend to prove as much with an upcoming performance of the original student production, “Chameleon.” Written and directed by club member Colin Core ’25, the play will run from March 27 to 30, at the Charles A. Brown Ice House, located near South Campus
Permitted to choose just about anything as his final project for his theatre minor, Core went all in by choosing to write and direct his own show. “I felt inspired by other people who create art,” he said. “I wanted to put my stamp on the world.”
“Chameleon” centers around Leon, an actor seeking to “blend in” by acting his way through his own life. Whether it means pretending to be a customer, a political enthusiast, or a victim of serious back pain in order to get a pick-me-up at the doctor’s office, Leon excels in portraying false personas to the world, or at least he thinks so.
The whole show revolves around the idea of what it means to be an actor.
“When are you not acting?” said actor Emma Fastiggi ’27. “There’s that little bit of space between, yes, I’m acting, but we’re all still sitting with the question of who are you really when you’re not acting?”
Referencing a famous Shakespeare quote, Core explains the significance behind the creation of Leon’s story. “They say all the world’s a stage, and I think that’s very literal. I feel like people are always acting around others,” he said.”So, to find someone who’s not acting around you, I think is hard.”
To him, “Chameleon” may serve as a “kind of a wake-up call to be your true self around others.”
Like any good artist, Core hopes his play will inspire members of the audience to ask themselves hard questions, especially about whether or not they’re good people. “I want them to think about how they are around others and what they can do going forward,” he said.
Audience members aren’t the only ones expected to do some thinking, however. Fastiggi explained that, “it’s a lot of fun to get that dual perspective of someone who’s both prompting that reflection and doing the reflection at the same time.”
Studio art major Emma Ward ’27 agrees. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot about myself since the show is talking about being genuine, and what that means,” she said. Ward also spoke about the overall concept of a student-written show. “I feel like this is a reminder to everyone to always be creative,” she said, “and it’s fun to put your art out there and always try new things.”
Other cast members are also excited to be able to perform a show written by one of their friends. “It makes the show feel a lot more personal,” said Zach Santana ’27. “I feel like all of us feel more motivated to do good because we know that someone in our own company, Colin, had created this, and we want to give him the best we can.”
“When else are you going to get into a free show at Moravian, get some good laughs, and come out with a thought-provoking crisis?” Core said.
The Friday and Saturday shows start at 8 p.m. There will also be a Sunday show at 2 p.m.. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome.
