I walked into Book-It Repertory as an intern at the beginning of the summer not really knowing what I was getting myself into. Of course I had read up on the famous Book-It style and spent countless hours poring over the colorful pages of the website but, until recently, I had never seen a Book-It show. I describe watching The Cider House Rules Part One as a discovery, a discovery of an entirely new way I can start to interact with literature and theatre; an intersection of my two loves. What I find interesting about my first experience with a Book-It show is that it also seems to mirror the experience of the main character, Homer Wells, in the show.
For me, The Cider House Rules Part One is all about discoveries. I made discoveries about myself as a playwright and an actor watching these other talented actors work seamlessly with the literature, make beautiful and quick transitions, all while remaining incredibly open and emotionally honest. Homer makes discoveries about himself as well. He learns about family, the birds and the bees, medicine, and ultimately, the principles that will come to govern his actions. Every new moment in the show, every light change, every transition is a new discovery for Homer. The excitement of the discovery is palpable for the audience and there is never a dull moment.
After watching part of a rehearsal for The Cider House Rules Part Two a couple weeks ago, the message of the second part became eerily clear. If the first part is about discoveries, the second part is about the sacrifices we have to make when the discoveries aren’t so new and present us with choices. While trying not to give anything away, it seems as though Homer now has to ask himself, “What are the consequences of all these discoveries?” The story is no longer just about Homer, but rather about the web of people and lives that he touches. And every choice he makes inevitably creates another choice and begs the question, “What now?”
So, “What now?” you ask? Well, I have to admit as a recent college graduate, I’m still figuring that out. But I do know it includes the important work that Book-It is doing. AND seeing The Cider House Rules Part Two. I hope that is part of your plan as well.
Samantha Cooper
Management Intern
Actor/Writer
