Tooth and Claw Reading Friday the 30th

This Friday there will be a reading of the play Tooth and Claw by Michael Hollinger in the Arena Theater at Moravian College, starting at 8 pm. This is a part of the season's reading series, a new tradition at Moravian as of 2009, formally introduced last year.

I sat down with Gianna Miranda (a Moravian College Junior), the actress portraying the lead character Dr. Schuyler Baines for a short interview.

Harry Matten Gillen: So, Gianna. How did you first get involved with the Moravian College Theater Department?

Gianna Miranda: Well, my freshman year Kimberly Van Orden (Moravian College Senior, then and current Company Manager) was doing the [Student] Cabaret and I really wanted to participate in it but I couldn't because I had two concerts that weekend, since I'm a music major. I ended up helping Kim with the Cell Block Tango because she needed someone who had actual Tango experience.

HMG: So you were in Cell Block Tango then?

GM: No, I was the Tango choreographer.

HMG: Ah, okay.

GM: Then last year I was able to participate in the reading of "Frankly", and both perform and direct in the student cabaret. And that's how I got involved.

Harry: So did you attend any of the meetings at the beginning of the year?

GM: I went to one meeting at the beginning of freshman year, but then I got swamped with being a college freshman and didn't have time, and when I wanted to participate everything conflicted.

HMG: Understandable. So, Tooth and Claw. What's your role?

GM: I play Dr. Schuyler Baines. I am the new director of the Charles Darwin Research Center in the Galapagos Islands.

HMG: What should we expect?

GM: The play focuses on Schuyler arriving at the Galapagos and starting to get situated in her new job, trying to protect and save these giant tortoises, and in the journey to save the tortoises she encounters many problems with the natives of the islands.

HMG: Last year the reading of Escape was chosen largely to tie in to the yearly theme, 'China in Focus'. Does this reading tie into this year's theme of Poverty and Equality?

GM: Yes, it definitely does[...] There's a huge divide between Schuyler and the actual natives of the island, and the Ecuadorian Government. They see her as this rich gringa, who's just coming in and messing with things. For example, a giant conflict that exists is how she's trying to restrict the fishing of pepinos de mar, which are sea cucumbers. The problem is that they're overfishing and in the Galapagos, due to its ecological significance they don't want anything to really change. They don't want one species to boom, and they don't want other species to die off. The locals who are fishing for these pepinos prevent her from putting a limit on their fishing, because they make a lot of money from it. The fact that to them, Schuyler doesn't have to worry about money, but they have to over fish just so they can have money, is a huge conflict.

HMG: That sounds very interesting. Who else is involved in the show?

GM: Other students?

Harry: Students, faculty, whoever.

GM: Ariel Hudak, who plays my secretary, Thom Eiser plays Dr. Malcom Geary, a renowned Biologist with a specialty in birds. Alanah Cervantes is a chorus member, and Dana Smulkis reads the stage directions, among others.

HMG: Who's the director?

GM: Christopher Shorr! And Dr. Jones plays a member of the chorus, and Mendoza, the congressman of Galapagos.

HMG: Anything else we should know?

GM: The play itself, the way it's formatted is really interesting. Malcom, Dr. Geary, functions as a narrator as well as a character in the play, and he's almost more important as the narrator. It's structured kind of like a science lecture, where he talks about Evolution in his narration, and that covers scene changes and you learn a lot of important points none of the other characters know.

HMG: And when is it?

GM: It is Friday at 8 pm in the Arena Theater.

HMG: Well, thank you for your time and I look forward to seeing it on Friday!

For those wishing to attend, here's what you need to know:

• When: Friday the 30th at 8pm.
• Where: In the Arena Theater, bottom floor of the Haupert Union Building.
• Admission is free, but it's recommended you show up early to ensure you get a seat.