Nicole Keating Professor, Dept. of Film writes and directs immersive, comedic play MS 499
MS 499: ADVERTISING AND THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF GENDER
Written and Directed by Nicole Keating Professor, Dept. of Film, School of Media: Culture: Design
MS 499: Advertising and the Social Construction of Gender is an immersive, comedic play written and directed by Woodbury University Professor Nicole Keating. This theatrical rendition of an atypical “first day of class” made its world premiere at the Hudson Theatres: Mainstage during the Hollywood Fringe Festival 2023. The play was produced by Woodbury University Professor Xiaolin Yu and featured Woodbury University Professor Emeritus Cate Roman as Libby the Liberator/Rosie the Riveter. Numerous Woodbury students and alums participated in the production.
During its sold-out run, MS 499: Advertising and the Social Construction of Gender received an abundance of praise, securing a nomination for the “2 Cents’ Immersive Worlds Award” presented by 2Cents Theatre’s Loose Change, making the short list for the “Theatre Theater Playwright Award,” and winning the esteemed “Hollywood Encore Producers’ Award.”
The “Hollywood Encore Producers’ Award” represents the best of the Hollywood Fringe. The award is selected by venue producers and is based on artistic merit, audience response, and commercial potential. The award presents winners with an extension, giving them the opportunity for additional awards and further performances in L.A., across the country, and around the world.
Teaching is performance, but it usually takes place in a classroom, so people don’t notice. MS 499: Advertising and the Social Construction of Gender takes this concept to a new level. In this play, the theatre itself becomes a classroom in which the audience/students learn about the influence of advertising on gender roles and power dynamics. But this is no ordinary classroom. It is infused with magical realism and madcap humor as fictional housewives from vintage ads appear in the classroom unannounced. The stage soon becomes populated with assorted characters from the 1950s-80s who provide perspectives on how representations of race, class, gender, sexuality, and ethnicity in advertising influence the social construction of gender. The entire theatre is engaged in a dramatic celebration of intersectionality as students interspersed throughout the audience come to terms with the blurred boundaries between such categories as female and male, oppressor and oppressed, truth and fiction, teaching and performance, education and entertainment – not to mention laughter and learning. What starts as a thought-provoking seminar in media studies is transformed into an alternate universe where the normal rules of reality are temporarily suspended. It is perhaps the realization of every student’s fantasy — serious academic discourse is suddenly overtaken by comic uncertainty. Inspired by the “housewife humor” found on fridge magnets, coffee mugs, and internet memes, this performance is more than a play, it is a learning experience.
Certified Fringe reviewers have deemed the production “creative theatre at its best.” Called “hilarious,” “wonderfully provocative,” and an “unabashed delight, it is an “eye and brain opener” – “well performed and produced satirical critique of the underpinnings that [have] shaped modern societal dysfunction.” It is “laugh out FUNNY – a meaningful comedy without being preachy or dogmatic.” Simply put, MS 499: Advertising and the Social Construction of Gender is fast-paced fun! It thrills audiences with a strikingly original combination of erudition and amusement.
This production of Keating’s MS 499: Advertising and the Social Construction of Gender featured Dina Cataldi as Dr. Samantha Walsh, Hailee Lipscomb as Kathy Kartwright, Cory Comeaux-Soto as Vanessa Ecks, Nikki Ojinnaka as Deborah Johnson, Mak Kettaneh as Steve Kartwright, Cate Roman as Libby the Liberator/Rosie the Riveter, Stef Dekalb as Jess Conley, Leah Huffine as Sarah Bialotti, Tequan Howell as Xander James, Alexis Marie Jorquez as Amelia Martinez, Gavin Mulcahy as Dylan Stein, Kiki Wong as Sonja Song, alternates Rachel Pizzulli and Julia Rome as Libby the Liberator and Rosie the Riveter respectively – and introducing child actress Lyra Kawamura as Katy Kartwright! Behind the scenes, contributors included Woodbury Professor/Producer Xiaolin Yu, Production Manager + Woodbury alum Emily Franco, Production Assistant Emily Kawano, Graphic Designer + Woodbury alum Angela Chiarelli, Vintage Ad Narrator Tosh Le, and Cinematographers Sam Kim and Jerry Sun (also a Woodbury alum). Some cast members wore multiple hats: Cory Comeaux-Soto also served as Costume Designer, Cate Roman served as Media Designer, and Julia Rome did Hair/Makeup. Woodbury students (now alums) Dev Barua, Nick Concenti, Kayla Edwards, Maya Hennessey, Chris Khashan, Lance Maniquis, Vivian Revolorio, and Isabella Willet also participated in the production.
Writer/Director/Professor Nicole Keating wrote the play during a sabbatical provided by Woodbury University and received a grant from Woodbury’s Agency for Civic Engagement (ACE). Her sabbatical project started as an academic research project related to housewife humor (vintage ads recaptioned for humorous effect), but when she began writing it emerged as a play: “The play literally wrote itself! The characters now inhabiting the ad and the stage inhabited my mind first and made their presence known.” As a professor teaching film and media studies, she hopes that audiences learn while they laugh. Keating adds that “humor is a great way to process challenging topics dealing with gender, sexuality, race, etc.” As Vanessa Ecks from the play comments (with a wink): “Nonsense is the only thing that makes any sense.” Will it be hard to return to a regular classroom after this? Keating responds that “all classrooms are magical and all teachers are performers — the alchemy is just a little more obvious in the theatre.”
This performance was inspired by the work of artist Anne Taintor and made possible by a Woodbury University faculty sabbatical and a grant from the Woodbury University Agency for Civic Engagement (ACE). Nicole Keating thanks family, friends and everyone at Woodbury for the support.