A Play About an American Family Behind a Veneer of a Socially and Politically Prestigious Family

There’s two answers to the question of what this play is about according to Frey Bendele, the student director of The House of Yes. One, is the literal answer of the plot, and two, is what the play is trying to say. Of course I wanted to know the symbolism behind the play. “The pretense, decetance, and the insularity of the American upper class, people who have cut themselves off from the rest of the world and are living by the rules they've invented.” says Bendele.

Based in the town of McLean, Virginia, the Pascal family meets for Thanksgiving dinner. A threatening hurricane, a constructed reality of Jackie O and JFK by sister and brother, and a conflict that ensues after a sudden engagement. “Now I won’t give too much away, but the story itself shows love, deep connection, and false identity inside of a ‘perfect’ American family,” says Bendele.

The student selection committee chose this play because of the comedy, the tragedy to back up the comedy, and the dramatization of the traditional American family. The students wanted to shed light on a dollhouse effect, a metaphor for a family who appears to be normal, if not perfect, to the public eye. But as soon as they're in private is when they start to "really play". Their bad habits are only acted upon when they're alone and free from judgment of their peers and the public.

This play is known in the theater world as a studio series. This means that it provides a more intimate setting for the audience. Instead of sitting in the auditorium, audience members will be seated on stage only feet away from the performers. Studio series in the Radford University theater department are student run and student lead.

As I listen to Bendele talk about the play, crew members busy themselves preparing for opening night: setting the lights, putting the finishing touches on the set, and making sure the costumes are perfect. “Our end goal is three things: exploring the love in this twisted tale, to teach, and make good theater,” Bendele says. All of the cast and crew are student run in this production. Being so, some of the obstacles of this production were educational opportunities for the students. A smaller budget required them to work together to use what they had on hand and to adapt to that circumstance. The team hoped to seat 100 audience members on stage, but due to the constraints of a small stage, only 91 seats were provided.

I had the amazing opportunity to walk around and ask members of the production what their favorite scene is in The House of Yes. I was caught off guard when they started naming scene numbers, but what was I supposed to expect from a room full of theater kids? Noah Polley, whose role is Marty in the play, loves scene eight, exhibiting a tenderness that you don't get anywhere else in the performance. “ There is such a deep connection between the characters in that scene,” says Noah.

The crew plays an integral role in a production, doing all the behind the scene work. Samuel Wood, who works on sound design for the show noted his favorite scene is ten. The resolution of the story is coming and Marty and Jackie show the true core of the couple. “It’s collaboratively disgusting but also brings out the bits of beauty in their relationship,” says Samuel.

After listening to Bendele share his ideas and thoughts about the play, I found it a lot easier to understand. ‘The idea of a perfect family that isn’t perfect’ to me, is truly what The House of Yes is about.