'Take Two': Raising Awareness and Prevention Efforts

Some students have difficulty retaining all the information presented during the mandatory online webinars taken before school starts.

Luckily, SAU Theatre Department chair Daniel Rairdin-Hale '04 has created a clever, 45-minute play that condenses all the important facts of alcohol consumption and sexual assault. This play, known as Take Two, has become an annual tradition that all first-year students are required to watch.

Take Two consists of four characters, several RA volunteers, and a special appearance from Matt Hansen, Interim Dean of Students. The characters this year were played by senior Rebecca Moews, junior TJ Green, junior Jessica Karolczak, and sophomore Tyler Hughes. This was Moews' third year participating, the second year for Green, and the first time for Karolczak and Hughes.

While the script is consistent through the years, with some minor improvements to keep it "up with the times," the actors technically play themselves for the show and use their actual names. This allows them to bring more of their personality to the show and helps viewers connect more with the material since they are also students. They cover the complexities of alcohol consumption, sexual assault, bystander intervention, and the meaning of consent as well as St. Ambrose's specific policies concerning those topics.  It contains the appropriate combination of humor and serious moments while keeping the attention of a young adult audience attention and still communicating important information.

The cast of Take Two receives their script about a month before rehearsals begin. They moved on campus early and rehearsed together for roughly a week before opening night. This was the fifth year for  the production, and it has been considered quite a success.

All participating actors said they've enjoyed the opportunity to work on the show and consider it a great way to kick off the year. Working together is always a blast, and they enjoy the privilege of presenting the important material to incoming students. While this was Moews' last time around, Green, Karolczak and Hughes are looking forward to another year.