Love and Information, written by Caryl Churchill, inaugurated the first ever Masters School drama production in the new Fonseca Center’s Experimental Theater. Under the direction of drama teacher Chris Briante, the cast of the show, students from grades 9 through 12, were put hard at work starting from the end of November until their jam-packed performances on Feb. 5 and 6.

Staging the play in the Experimental Theater was appropriate because Love and Information is not your typical production. Churchill’s play withholds all character names, profiles, scene locations, and most other details from the audience, director, and actors. The only information Churchill provided were the individual titles for her playlets, which were being projected behind the actors while they were performing.

Each act began with all the actors setting up the set while simultaneously saying a few lines over and over again in a jumble of words. Each playlet was part of an act and had mostly two, but sometimes a few more, actors in it. Each act had a color scheme, with all of the actors wearing the same color. Although the color seemed to have little if anything to do with the actual plot, it created an interesting separation between each act.

The playlets began in the middle of an action or event and went through a bit of that event, providing some background information for the audience. The playlets sometimes ended abruptly in the middle of a thought, allowing the audience to develop whatever connection or meaning they wanted, using the clothes, the playlet title, the set, or the information given to the audience while the actors were acting.

Each playlet was completely different from the next. The lack of information given throughout the playlets allowed the actors to develop their own characters and connections.

“I enjoyed exploring the individual roles and being able to develop the different personalities and connections between the characters,” said Matthew Friedman, one of the cast members.

This play was a unique experience for many of the audience members and for most of the cast itself.

“It was my first ever straight play meaning that it provided me with a whole different experience, with quick dress changes, set changes and many different character changes,” said sophomore Dylan Douglas. “I loved every minute of rehearsal and going to rehearsal was the highlight of my day. Shows are shows and they’re great and I love being a part of them but the experience of the true ensemble and the bond I shared with all of the cast members was the best part.”

Audience member Elizabeth Mitchell commented, “It was a very symbolic and interesting way of conveying emotions. I’ve never seen a play like this before.”

Every playlet and every act brought in different characters, emotions, and connections making this production of Love and Information a very unique and enjoyable one.