Author: Harry Chen

Rumors are flying on stage as the students of the English Department take on Neil Simon’s famous comedic play of the same title for the 2024 Senior Play. Director Ian Chow promises an unforgettable night filled with laughter and surprises through unexpected twists and the talent of the cast. 

Seniors present a full production of Rumors, taking on roles in directing to props, sound effects to stage lighting. According to the American novelist Harper Lee, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” The Senior Play tradition is not merely about performing a play; it is a way for the students to experience the culture of the stage and the literary work personally. By immersing themselves in the characters, students can gain insight into the cross-cultural differences, interactions, and humor. 

Rumors, a farcical comedy, is one of Simon’s most popular plays revolving around a group of friends entangled in a series of misunderstandings as they try to maintain their public personas. Speaking about the choice of Rumors as the 2024 production, stage manager Annie Chen emphasizes the play’s fast-paced dynamics: “The play challenges not only the cast and crew but also the audience to stay engaged in the events that simultaneously happen on the stage, and the cast has to keep their high energy no matter how chaotic the situation becomes.”  Director Ian Chow mentions the importance of lines in Rumors: “With Rumors, the comedy comes from the lines themselves and how they’re delivered. Even during table readings, the dialogue had us laughing. That’s the real challenge with a play like this—making the humor land purely through the words and delivery.” 

Like any production, the preparation for Rumors has some challenges. The fast pace of the play demands close management of the set changes, lighting, and sound effects. Director Chow states that, “For a fast-paced play like Rumors, timing is everything, making it challenging to perfect the flow and rhythm without everyone present. With only three months to rehearse, memorizing lines and stage directions has been tough, especially for first-time performers. However, the cast’s growth and dedication through practice and patience have been incredibly rewarding.” 

One challenge comes from the lighting design. The leader of the lighting group, Steven Liu, says, “ Our biggest challenge was creating the right atmosphere because we had to rely on stage layouts and our imagination before actually stepping into the theater. The first step is always the hardest, and our members have to make time and put extra effort into brainstorming how to put our imagination into reality.” 

The set design also faced challenges. The leader of the set design group, Steve Hsieh says, “The biggest challenge was the set design with a second-floor structure. We had to ensure the design fit within our limited budget while communicating with the director to get the size right.” Since the script has only two acts, they do not have to move the props frequently, but they still need to brainstorm a strategy about placing the props and then quickly moving them. Liu and Hsieh both mention adopting a realistic style, such as minimizing the use of bright colors and flashy special effects, and a focus on natural lighting and shadows to create the right atmosphere. “It was a challenge,”says Liu, Hsieh also agreed, “but we understood that if we executed it perfectly, the audience would experience something fresh.” 

Rumors is the fruit of the whole team’s collaboration. According to one crew member, “Everyone was incredibly dedicated to their roles. The production requires the effort of everyone involved.” Another says, “We aim to let the audience see the heart and creativity we’ve poured into it. This serves as proof that, no matter how challenging the process, we will persevere until the very last moment.” 

Rumors by Neil Simon will be performed at Arens Performing Arts Center on December 12th, 13th, and 14th.