PERFORMANCE REVIEW
Performing Arts does Pulitzer-winning ploy justice
Sarah Beese
Reporter
Elon University’s Black Box Theater was
transformed into “Nick's Pacific Street
Saloon, Restaurant and Entertainment
Palace” as the lights came up on William
Sayoran's “The Time of Your Life."
This Pulitzer Prize-winning play, set in
San Francisco, tells the stories of the Nick's
Saloon patrons and the lives they lead.
Sayoran’s work leaves the audience with
varying emotions, including love, loss and
friendship.
On a late October day, there are several
strangers in the quiet waterfront bar. Like
the people inside of it, the bar appears to
be on the outskirts of society. The owners
of the bar and other area businesses are
in trouble with police officer Blick (played
by junior Richard McNulty) for allowing
prostitutes to be patrons.
Joe (played by sophomore Ben Morris) is
the mysteriously rich patron who observes
the lives of the people around him. Tom
(played by junior Brendan Kane) is Joe’s
indebted assistant. Nick (junior Ross
Denyer) is the bar’s owner and a proud new
father. One of the prostitutes that frequent
the bar is named Kitty Duval (played by
sophomore Kristina Loeffke.)
Throughout the play, the various
characters that enter and leave Nick’s
Saloon share their stories with Joe. Other
characters in the bar include the Arab
(senior Kevin Manship) and Wesley (played
by senior Mark St. Cyr), a young black man
begging Nick for a job. Wesley becomes
friends with Harry (played by sophomore
Clark Kinkade), another young man seeking
work for his comedy act. Many other
characters visit the bar, including a man
who looks like Kit Carson (played by senior
Teddy Scott), a society couple and a man in
love.
The main plot of the play revolves
around Joe, Tom and Kitty, with the other
characters' lives intertwining amongst
them. Kitty develops her relationship with
Joe to the point that he becomes one of the
first people to whom she shows her true
self. Tom instantly falls in love with Kitty.
His innocence blinds him, and he is unable
to understand that Kitty is a prostitute.
With Joe's help, Tom eventually makes his
move.
From the principal characters to the
cameos, each character had a story to
share with the audience and they all tied
together wonderfully. There were many
notable performances.
As Joe, Morris had the perfect blend of
a man who wanted to learn as much as he
could. Loeffke did a stellar performance
as Kitty Duval and her emotional scene
moved the entire audience. And as the
society lady, senior Chelsea LeValley was
comical in her out-of-place appearance in
the bar, as was sophomore Amy McNabb as
Mary.
Freshman Kit Arbuckle, who assisted
with costumes for the production, said she
thought it was “thoughtful, moving, witty
and refreshingly hilarious."
Fellow freshman Andrew Ontiveros
agreed. “It was an incredible play,”
Ontiveros said. “Probably one of the best
shows I’ve seen here at Elon. There were
fantastic individual performances, as well
as great ensemble work!"
PHOTOS BY JUSTINE SCHULERUD | Photo Editor
Student actors perform William Sayoran’s "The Time of Your Life” in the Blacl( Box Theater. The
Pulitzer-winning play ran from February 3-6.