"The Hundred Dresses" may be a children's show, but its message is universal. The short, yet entertaining show, put on by the College of Arts and Sciences in the Katzen Studio Theatre, takes on the themes of peer pressure, friendship and doing what's right.
Wanda Petronski, played by CAS freshman Laura Aristovulos, is the new student at her school in an unnamed town in Connecticut. As a Polish immigrant, Wanda's poor English and obvious poverty cause the other children to mock her. When their ridicule gets out of hand, Wanda and her father move to the big city, and their situation will not seen so unusual.
The story takes place in 1938 in the context of the Great Depression. Though Wanda's poverty is extreme, her family is not the only one suffering, and a class divide is obvious among the students at Wanda's school.
Wanda is usually quiet in class, but when Cecile, played by School of Communication and CAS freshman Lauren Eilola, ecstatically displays her new dress, Wanda can't help but chime in. She whispers to her classmate, Peggy, CAS and SOC sophomore Katie Lock, that in her closet, she has 100 dresses all lined up.
Peggy laughs at Wanda and counters that she wears the same dress to school each day, so Wanda must be lying. Peggy enlists her friend, Maddie, played by Amy Tolbert, a senior in CAS and School of International Service, to play the 100 dresses game. Each day, the girls ask Wanda to describe her favorite dress to them, hoping to eventually make her cry and confess her poverty.
Maddie struggles with her role in the game, since her family has been greatly affected by the Depression. She wants the game to end, but fears if she confronts Peggy that the taunting will be turned on her. When Wanda's family leaves, Maddie is consumed by guilt and changes the way she treats others.
Though it tackles serious issues, "The Hundred Dresses" proves very amusing. The performance subtly pokes fun at the students who mock Wanda. The humor, designed for young audiences, is easily giggle-worthy.
"The Hundred Dresses" is an entertaining and educational story presented in a way so that children can easily understand the consequences of caving into peer pressure and teasing. The story is based on the popular children's novel by Eleanor Estes. It was adapted for the stage by Mary Hall Surface, a D.C. playwright. The play was first commissioned by the Seattle Children's Theatre several years ago.
The version of the play being performed in Katzen this weekend was rewritten for this production. The length of the performance was cut nearly in half by Surface to make the play more accessible to children. The effort has led a school group to buy out the entire theater for Friday's matinee.
Theater lovers of all ages can see "The Hundred Dresses" in the Katzen Art Center's Studio Theatre this Thursday and Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $5.
