Michelle Schroeder-Lowrey (left) and Jeanine Thompson as Robyn and Sharon in “The Roommate,” which opens in Studio Two at the Riffe Center Thursday. Credit: Courtesy of The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio
The word roommate is oftentimes synonymous with young adults, especially those in college.
Jen Silverman’s play “The Roommate” adds an interesting twist to this common trope.
The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio will bring “The Roommate” to Columbus, opening in Studio Two Theatre at the Riffe Center. The play will open Thursday and run through Nov. 30.
The play follows two women in their 50s, Sharon and Robyn, as they navigate life and learn more about each other, with comedic and heartbreaking moments throughout, according to Eleni Papaleonardos, the play’s director and Ohio State alumna.
Jeanine Thompson, the actor portraying Sharon and a former Ohio State professor of theatre, film, and media arts, said her and Michelle Schroeder-Lowrey, who plays Robyn, immediately hit it off.
“The chemistry between [Schroeder-Lowrey] and I was apparent and palpable in the audition process,” Thompson said. “No matter what scene we did and what role we were portraying in the audition, the chemistry was consistent.”
Papaleonardos said “The Roommate” only has two characters throughout the show’s 90-minute runtime, meaning the actresses on stage do a large amount of lifting to immerse the audience within the play.
“In another play that is 90 minutes long you would have set changes and a dance number,” Papaleonardos said. “But [the play] really is two women with this incredible arc, with very deep and challenging characters, watching them kind of understand and go through life together.
Papaleonardos said the play is “a love letter to women of a certain age.”
“We rarely get to see women older than 30 really have a deep connection to another woman,” Papaleonardos said.
Thompson said although the themes of “The Roommate” focus on the experiences of a certain age group, they aren’t just exclusive to that demographic.
“The bloodline of understanding these characters is so universal that I can easily get into her skin and find the truth to every moment,” Thompson said. “That’s something I think audiences will love. Yes, we’re two mature women in these roles, but what we’re going through is quite universal.”
Michelle Schroeder-Lowrey and Jeanine Thompson play Robyn and Sharon in The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio’s production of “The Roommate,” which opens in Studio Two at the Riffe Center Thursday. Credit: Courtesy of The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio
Papaleonardos said the play’s set is meant to create an environment that audience members may be able to recall in their own lives.
“The scenic design, it is a working kitchen,” Papaleonardos said. “The audience will walk in and it’s like they’re walking into their grandma’s house.”
Papaleonardos said the environment also adds to the intimacy of the production, bringing audience members into Sharon and Robin’s space as though they were actually there.
“We wanted some part of the kitchen to feel cramped, because these women are trying to understand what it’s like to be roommates with someone when you haven’t been a roommate for a long time,” Papaleonardos said. “One person sees it as lonely and cramped and the other person sees it as this clear and open space.”
Papaleonardos said she hopes the audience will go through phases of shock and surprise as the characters reveal new information and develop throughout the show.
“There are so many twists and turns,” Papaleonardos said. “Doing this work with the actors has been delightful — to be like, ‘Let’s make it even more uncomfortable.’”
The content of the play reflects both good and bad life choices, something Thompson said she hopes audiences can learn from.
“There are a lot of lessons learned throughout [the show], some healthy, some not so healthy,” Thompson said. “[The audience members] have choices — [they can say] ‘Well, that’s an interesting lesson. Do I continue down that path or say, nope that’s not for me?’”
Thompson said the universal themes of the story allows audience members to sympathize with Sharon and Robyn and their struggles.
“Perhaps [audience members] haven’t gone through that specifically, but we get it and we feel it,” Thompson said. “We can hold our heart in the back of our throat, feeling the loss and the pain, but also the giddiness and the hilarity of it all.”
Tickets for the show are $68.55 including fees and can be purchased from the CAPA Ticket Center.
