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10 Ways to Survive Life in a Quarantine

Written by Don Zolidis
Directed by Peter Morhmann

Live Streamed Performances on Zoom: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:30 pm, April 29, 30, May 1, 6, 7, 8, 2021; Sundays Recorded Performances (from livestream) on Vimeo Sundays May 2 & May 9 anytime from noon to midnight.

Tickets
All performances
$10

Links will be sent to you on the day of the performance.

The Play

Written to be performed online, 10 Ways to Survive Life in a Quarantine is an irreverent and fun look at how people are managing during the quarantine. A variety of people offer short eccentric insights on 10 different quarantine life hacks such as “Falling in Love with Inanimate Objects,” “Musicals with Pets,” and “William Shakesbear” – famous tragedies acted out with stuffed animals. These streaming monologues are similar to the comedic characters who briefly roll onto SNL’s Weekend Update or other sketch-style performances.

The Playwright

Don Zolidis holds a B.A. in English from Carleton College and an M.F.A. in playwriting from the Actor's Studio Program at the New School University, where he studied under Romulus Linney. His plays have been seen at numerous theatres around the country, including The Purple Rose Theatre, The Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Bloomington Playwright's Project, The Phoenix Theatre, the Victory Theatre, Stage West, The Williamstown Theatre, and many others. Don received the Princess Grace Award for playwriting in 2004 after having twice been a finalist. His plays have received two Edgerton New Play awards and multiple NEA grants among other honors. In 2013 his play White Buffalo was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. His plays for young people are among the most produced in the country and have received more than 7,500 productions, appearing in every state and 51 countries.

The Production

10 Ways to Survive Life in a Quarantine will be directed by Peter Mohrmann (The Beaux Stratagem). The cast will feature Yolanda Ashford, Evan S. Clark, Andrew R. Cooksey Jr., Lori Ann DeLappe-Grondin, Ronnie Duska Fowler, Annie Eismann, Sarah Ekstrom Palmero, Sam Heidelberg, Kyle Missman, Said Noori, Kathleen Poe, Jon Ruiz, Rosalind Smith, and Mimi Vang. The design team will include Shawn Weinsheink (scenic design), Nicole Sivell (costume design), and Scott Bailey (sound design). Evening performances on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays will be streamed live and the Sunday performances will be rebroadcasts from a previous live performance.

Resources

Sacramento City College Basic Needs Resources

Sacramento City College Mental Health Support

From the Mayo Clinic --“COVID 19 and Your Mental Health”

For more detailed or specific information, we recommend checking out this database from the American Psychological Association.

Program

10 Ways to Survive Life in a Quarantine

About Sketch Comedy

• If you’ve seen Saturday Night Live, Portlandia or even The Muppet Show, you’re familiar with sketch comedy. Other beloved sketch comedy shows include classics like The Carol Burnett Show and modern favorites such as Inside Amy Schumer and Key & Peele. From across the pond, we have gems such as French and Saunders, A Bit of Fry and Laurie, and the unparalleled Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
• Today, sketch comedy is also shared over platforms like YouTube and TikTok. But sketch comedy is much older than the web or television. While comedic sketches have been around for centuries (if not longer), the first known print reference to a “comic sketch” is from the eighteenth century. These short theatrical pieces started out as comic relief between the acts of serious plays and operas but soon took on a life of their own and became part of variety entertainments, such as burlesque and vaudeville shows. Later, sketch comedy enjoyed popularity on the radio before conquering television. Tonight, we’re presenting a sketch revue of sorts, a theatre production that’s been written especially for streaming so we can continue to enjoy theatre safely. Welcome to 10 Ways to Survive Life in a Quarantine.
• To learn more about sketch comedy, I highly recommend checking out San Francisco’s sketch comedy company, Killing My Lobster, and their fabulous website. For a more detailed history of sketch, check out Michael Douglas Upchurch’s thesis, “The Poetics of Sketch Comedy”, which is available online.

--Jessica Sager, Dramaturg

Photos