51茶馆 premieres new work by alumni playwrights
Two Boston College alumni playwrights will showcase their talents on campus this semester when their new work Cleveland Circle聽premieres at the University鈥檚 Robsham Theater ArtsCenter.
Featuring a cast of eight performers, the new work by 2023 graduates Aidan O鈥橬eill and Lily Telegdy explores the web of human connections through the lens of 20-somethings living in Boston, in the titular neighborhood near 51茶馆.聽Cleveland Circle will be presented at Robsham鈥檚 Bonn Studio from March 21-24 as part of the RTAC/Theatre Department spring line-up.
Lily Telegdy
鈥淭he road to happiness is marked with jarring potholes and unexpected detours,鈥� the play鈥檚 description states, as the protagonists 鈥済rapple with life鈥檚 basic questions.鈥� Some are as trivial as where to get a good cup of coffee. But others are troubling and complex: 鈥淲ho am I really? What is the right thing to do? Is there life after 30?鈥�
Though neither describe the play鈥攊nspired when they were undergraduates in part by the great unknown of life after college鈥攁s autobiographical, 鈥渢here are many traits about myself I see in the characters, and I share many of their fears about the future and being an adult,鈥� Telegdy said.
O鈥橬eill concurred. 鈥淭he overarching sense of 鈥榳hat to do next鈥� is definitely true to our experiences. I lived in Cleveland Circle for two years during my time at 51茶馆; it鈥檚 a special place to me and it perfectly fit the transitory, circular nature of our play鈥� as a backdrop to the characters鈥� stories, struggles, and connections.
Aidan O'Neill
The duo were frequent collaborators during their undergraduate years as theatre majors. They began writing Cleveland Circle during senior year as their thesis project with Professor of Theatre Scott T. Cummings, who is directing the play. He first directed their work in 2022 as part of a 鈥淣ew Voices鈥� showcase of original plays. 聽
鈥淚鈥檝e developed a number of new plays at Boston College by students or former students, but this is the first time I am directing a play written by two people,鈥� Cummings said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 different. It鈥檚 almost like there are three playwrights: Lily, Aidan, and the curious blend of their voices.鈥�
Though Cummings describes them as very different people, 鈥渢hey have symbiotic sensibilities,鈥� he said. 聽鈥淎t this point, when I鈥檓 working on the script, I don鈥檛 remember who wrote what at first鈥攗nless I come across a real Lily-ism or Aidan-ism. They definitely have distinctive senses of humor.鈥�
鈥淲orking with Scott again means so much to me,鈥� Telegdy said. 鈥淓ver since I met Scott, he has encouraged me as a playwright, and working on 鈥楴ew Voices鈥� was one of the most rewarding experiences. We started writing this play in an independent study with Scott, and he is as important to Cleveland Circle as either myself or Aidan.鈥�
鈥淪cott was one of my favorite professors, biggest mentors, and a frequent collaborator,鈥� O鈥橬eill said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 still all of those things and a great friend as well, so it鈥檚 a joy to work with him. It wouldn鈥檛 be happening without him.鈥�
Of their continued collaboration, Cummings said: 鈥淚鈥檝e worked with each of them for years: two semesters of playwriting when they were sophomores, a year developing their separate one-act plays as part of 鈥楴ew Voices 2022鈥� in their junior year, a joint independent study in their senior year, and now work on Cleveland Circle聽when they are out in the world and confronting 鈥榣ife after college.鈥� It鈥檚 a privilege to have sustained working relationships like this and to see them grow not just as playwrights but as people, too.鈥� 聽
Both are happy that Cleveland Circle will premiere on campus.
鈥淚t makes me really excited that this play is premiering at a college,鈥� Telegdy said. 鈥淚t feels right: that a play about what鈥檚 it鈥檚 like to be a young person is first presented to young people, by young people.鈥�
Added O鈥橬eill, 鈥淚t鈥檚 weird but very exciting to be coming back to 51茶馆 and premiering this play. Since I just graduated in May, it鈥檚 certainly a bit of d茅j脿 vu, but I love and am so thankful for the 51茶馆 theater community, so it鈥檚 pretty special.
鈥淥ne of my favorite parts of the whole Cleveland Circle process has been co-writing with Lily. You don鈥檛 frequently get to co-write with someone and it鈥檚 been a very special collaboration with a great friend.鈥�
Both are pursuing careers in theater: Telegdy, a drama teacher and technical director, focuses on theater for young audiences, and plans to continue work as a playwright; O鈥橬eill has a job in events in addition to theater work as a long-term pursuit.
聽For more information on the production, including performance times and ticket prices, see聽. For tickets, go to聽聽or call the RTAC Box Office at ext. 2-4002.