Local Actors go ‘Absurd’ in Next performance

What happens when people inexplicably begin turning into rhinoceroses? That bizarre, compelling premise forms the core of Eugene Ionesco’s Rhinoceros, the next production from the Socorro Community Theater. This classic work of the Theater of the Absurd will be presented at the Garcia Opera House the weekend of November 14th.

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A Timeless Allegory for Modern Times

Written in 1959 and set in a small French town, Rhinoceros is widely seen as an allegory exploring potent themes of conformity, mass movements, and individuality.

Dillon Dong, who is co-directing the production with Jay Blanchard, chose the play for its resonance. “I chose this play in part because of its relevance to current affairs, but mostly because reading the script made me both laugh and go ‘wow there’s so much to unpack here’,” Dong said.

The play initially features a diverse cast of characters, each with distinct beliefs and struggles. However, as Dong notes, “when things get stressful, people lose their individuality and the whole town turns into one big echo chamber.” He finds the method of this transformation—turning into a rhinoceros—to be “funny and absurd,” but adds, “it’s funny because it has a grain—or maybe more than just a few grains—of truth to it.”

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Performance Schedule and Cast

Catch Rhinoceros at the following times:

• Friday, Nov. 14: 7:00 PM
• Saturday, Nov. 15: 7:00 PM
• Sunday, Nov. 16: 2:00 PM

All performances are at the Garcia Opera House.

The lead cast and roles include:

• Jess Bice: Berenger
• Amy Kimball: Jean
• Minnie Mao: Daisy
• Jal Peña: Dudard
• Willa Obringer: Botard

Key supporting roles feature: John Leeper (The Logician), John Stokes (the Old Gentleman), Warren Marts (Mr. Papillon), and Mari Beltran (Mrs. Boeuf). The cast is rounded out by Bailey Rippy (Cat Parent), Lenore and Jack Hill (the Grocer and her husband), Akram Mostafanejad (Waitress), Estevan Ortega (the Cafe Proprietor), and Faith Valdez (The Little Old Lady).

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Director’s Insights

This production marks Dillon Dong’s directorial debut, a new step in his significant theater journey that began in sixth grade. After a college break, he was inspired to return to the stage after seeing SCT’s production of Little Shop of Horrors in 2023. Having played roles like Oliver in As You Like It and Malcolm in Macbeth, Dong is enjoying the shift: “Rhinoceros is my first time directing and I’ve really enjoyed it so far… I’m super fortunate to be working with such talented actors and such a great co-director!”

Jay Blanchard’s involvement is more local, starting when he was “dragged to ‘support her audition'” by cast member Minnie Mao and ended up in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Since then, he has acted in productions like Little Shop of Horrors and Anything Goes and co-directed Macbeth.

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Tickets and Information

Tickets for Rhinoceros range from $10 to $18.

For more information, visit www.nmt.edu/pas, or purchase tickets directly at: https://tinyurl.com/pas-tickets