'The Birds' performances will prove immersive for audiences

February 20, 2024 (Volume 47, Number 13)
Article by Thomas Garrett

a stage during rehearsal with a piece of roof suspended on wire on the right, table and chairs on the left

Theatre at Grand Valley presents The Birds by Connor McPherson, From a Story by Daphne du Maurier, Directed by Bridgett Vanderhoof

Pictured is a rehearsal of 'The Birds,' which will run February 22-25 at the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre in the Haas Center for Performing Arts.

Grand Valley Theatre will present "The Birds" February 22-25 at the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre in the Haas Center for Performing Arts. The play depicts a gripping societal collapse, packed into an immersive experience with a theatre in the round.

Purchase tickets online and view details about show times.

In this play written by Connor McPherson, "The Birds" immerses the audience in the apocalyptic setting inspired by Daphne du Maurier’s short story (also the basis for Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film from 1963) and places the audience in contemporary times.

This intense, immersive experience will also present a difficult challenge to the actors involved. History major Erika Wilder, who is playing the character of Diane, said she will be in every scene.

“That means I will be locked in for the full 90 minutes of the show,” said Wilder.

Most characters will be on stage the entire time, with the audience just a few feet away. Randi Bloedow, who is playing the character of Julia, said that is what makes this show different.

“Something I’m excited about is not having to worry about cheating out, since we are in the round, I will always be facing the audience,” said Bloedow, a second-year theater major. “Cheating out,” as described by Bloedow, is done when actors turn their face or body to the audience so they can better hear or see the performance.

Bridgett Vanderhoof, publicity and recruitment coordinator for the Music, Theatre and Dance, is the director. Vanderhoof said students needed to be "untrained" for this show.

“You have to untrain yourself in a lot of ways as an actor,” Vanderhoof said. “You’re taught in classes about cheating out, and addressing the audience. In this scenario, you can drop it with an audience all around you, but now you have to focus on moving around enough to make sure everyone can see and hear you.”

It is Vanderhoof's directorial debut at Grand Valley. She has directed many other shows before working at GVSU. “As an alum of the theater program of more than a decade ago, it feels really special to come back and direct in the spaces I was directed in at one point,” said Vanderhoof.