Sex and the Supernatural delights with ghoulish tales

CeNique Yeldell

Easing its way into the oddities, the production “Sex and the Supernatural” was met with great success this weekend.

With an aim for an intimate feel, seating is placed on the stage to give the audience an up-close-and-personal view of the cast.

The production opened with “Passion Play,” where a couple (Natalie, played by Samantha Chaness, and David, played by Tony Sanchez) contemplate their beliefs while visiting a cathedral. Natalie vents to her husband about her frustrations with their fast-paced life and lack of belief, with the desperation for faith in something greater reflected in her voice.

In “Reincarnation,” Rosie’s (Emily Wilburn) desperation lies in finding love, having tried everything from therapy to buying any product that could possibly work. Her luck only gets worse when she comes across a psychic who shows Rosie her past lives, which involves a flickering of the lights and a display of good accents on Rosie’s part.

Celia (Maggie Bickerstaff) discovers life outside the looking glass in “What She Found There,” which consists of promiscuity and being wooed — in this case with a man named Lou (Justin Mackey). Bickerstaff does a great portrayal of the Alice in Wonderland character, casually speaking of her past relations while keeping her innocent demeanor intact. Mackey also played his role very well; their acting complemented each other while the characters contrasted perfectly.

The fourth short play, “Visiting Dad,” magnified the nervousness of meeting a significant other’s parent. When Laura (Ashley Normand) invites her boyfriend Mike (Ryan Farell) to meet her parents, she leads him to a graveyard and begins to summon her deceased father. His booming voice exposes the secrets Mike wasn’t quite ready to share.

“Zombie Grrls from the Crypt” was pure entertainment from beginning to end, with the vampire girl (Jessica Utter) stomping her stiletto boots in a South American tango as she raised zombie girls from their graves. The zombies were decked out in rags stained with blood and screeches to match, reaching out toward the audience members when they weren’t busy dancing.

The production ended with “Genesis,” a retelling of the Garden of Eden through the perspective of Eve.

The next performances will be held April 1 through 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Louis Armstrong Theatre on the Allendale Campus. There will also be a matinee performance on April 5 beginning at 2 p.m. Tickets are $6 for students and $10 for faculty, staff and alumni.