'Extremities' probes problem of rape

As the curtain goes up on Extremites, a man is seen stalking a house. He enters and tries to rape the woman inside. In the aftermath, she must explain to her roommates what has happened. "Marjorie [the woman] has to talk about it immediately afterwards. It's often more traumatic when you can't until later," said Jef Johnson, a 1990 College graduate who plays the rapist. Director Samantha Aezen, said she hoped the production would help women speak out in their own defense instead of blaming themselves if they are violated. "If I can get one woman to say 'It wasn't my fault' as a result of this show, then I will have done my job," said Aezen, a December 1991 College graduate. Marjorie's two roommates, played by Marcie Levine and Simone Elliot, both College sophomores, represent the different views of rape in society. "My character doesn't want to deal with it," said Levine, "while Simone's character wants to go through legal proceedings and let the legal system work it out. Extremities, by William Mastrosimone, was first performed in the late 1970s, according to Aezen. It has been translated into 27 languages, and it was performed on Broadway and around the world. Later it was made into a movie starring Farrah Fawcett. College senior Heidi Yudis, who plays Marjorie, said that in rape situations like the one portrayed in the play, very often the victim is blamed. "Marjorie is judged by her friends who come to their conclusions by erringly looking at her everyday behavior," said Yudis. "This play broadens the definition of rape," Levine said. "It's any violation, not just a sex crime. And people have to realize that." As research for the show, the director and cast spoke to both counselors and victims at the Women's Center and read cummulatively around 50 books. "It's amazing how much there is out there about rape, but so many people are uninformed," said Yudis. Following the opening night performance, there will be a discussion forum led by a speaker from Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape and Elise Jackson, a counselor from the Women's Center. Extremities opens tonight and runs this weekend and next weekend at 8 p.m. in the High Rise East Rathskellar. Tickets are $5 and can be bought on Locust Walk or at the door.

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