SEMO’s River Campus premieres new dark comedy "GIRLHOOD"

Southeast Missouri State University’s River Campus captivated audiences with its comedic yet emotional debut of “GIRLHOOD” on the week of Feb. 27 at Rust Flexible Theatre.

This is the first rendition of “GIRLHOOD” ever done, and the actors did not disappoint.

This production was a dark comedy, modern-day, coming-of-age drama that explores the lives of seven teenage girls in the Upper East Side of New York over the course of a year as they are in preparation for their debutante ball, which is a night that would ultimately change their lives in ways these girls could have never predicted.

This portrayal of “GIRLHOOD” was directed by SEMO theatre professor Roxanne Wellington, who made the story come to life for the first time ever with very talented actors and the freedom to make it their own.

Freshman musical theatre major Jailah Butler portrayed Jaya on the 27th. She described how this production connects with and impacts the audience.

“It is a very relatable story of girlhood and very real problems girls face as they are coming of age,” Butler said.

Senior double TV film and musical theater major Kait Dexter who played Annie the lead role in “GIRLHOOD.” She described her experience throughout this role and what she has learned about herself by taking on this challenging role.

“I learned to not hold myself back and risk not becoming the best actress I could be,” Dexter said.

Junior musical theatre major Winnie St. Claire played the role of Tessa and spoke about how unique and fresh this production was compared to other productions that she has worked on.

“This play has never been done before and it was really exciting to build my character Tessa from the ground up and make the character something of my own,” St. Claire said.

The premiere of “GIRLHOOD” was more than just any other performance. It was a real experience that resonated with the audience and made them feel real moments that were very relatable to them. Whether this production continues to change in its future productions or remains a one-of-a-kind experience, the cast and crew brought a powerful and fresh story to life.