The original solo performance piece "Crimes Against Nature," a humorous, compelling and personal examination of masculinity, will be presented on Thursday, April 13, at 8 p.m. in the Knickerbocker Theatre.
The campus community is invited. Admission is
free.
The program is being presented as part of the
college's Sexual Assault Awareness Week activities, and is
sponsored by the college's Counseling Center and Office of
Special Programs.
"Crimes Against Nature" was written and is
performed by Christopher Kilmartin, an associate professor
of psychology at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg,
Va. The product of a year-long collaboration between
Kilmartin and Gregg Stull, who is an assistant professor of
theatre at the college, "Crimes Against Nature" explores the
pressures, absurdities and contradictions of masculinity.
The piece promotes an awareness of the demands of
masculinity and also provides a sense that one can choose
whether or not to acquiesce to those demands. Using
humorous stories from his past, Kilmartin pokes fun at the
experience of his adolescence and young manhood, and recalls
how he was taught the idea of masculinity. He covers topics
including sports, puberty, communication, homophobia,
girlfriends and sex education, and his accounts include the
Halloween day that his mother dressed him as a girl and sent
him to kindergarten, the day that he discovered pornographic
magazines in his neighbor's garage and the day that he tried
out for the junior high baseball team.
A Ph.D. counseling psychologist, Kilmartin is the
author of "The Masculine Self," which examines the
psychology of men. He has also been a professional stand-up
comedian since 1985.
Stull is chair of the Department of Theatre and
Dance at Mary Washington College. His recent directing
credits include "Six Characters in Search of an Author,"
"Cloud 9" and "Inspecting Carol." He consults with arts
organizations throughout the country on program planning and
resource development.
The scene design for "Crimes Against Nature" is by
Julie Hodge, with lighting design by David Hunt. The
costumes are designed by Martha Smith, and sound by Taylor
Dupuis.