Death by Woody Allen, the much awaited annual spring play by Wharton Theater Troupe will be on stage Wednedsay April 19th. Beyond comic suspense and humor of this dark comedy, we would like to offer a sneak peak of the Death squad behind the curtain.

Why did you decide to do the play?

Jason Dresner (WG 2018)

I have always been interested in acting, and I enjoy being in the spotlight. That doesn’t mean that I expected I would be a talented actor or that I necessarily shine in the spotlight – but either way, this play allows me to do both.

I also like activities at Wharton that allow classmates to show each other another side of their personalities or a hidden talent. This is especially true in areas unrelated to business (think comedy show, battle of the bands, Follies, Fight Night, hockey).

Finally,since this is a true stretch experience for me. Even though I am super pumped about it and it has been something I have wanted to do, it is still my first time. To nail it would be a formative experience and something I know I can apply to future high stress situations when all eyes are on me. As Shakespeare wrote, “All the world’s a stage.”

Michael Alerhand (WG 2017)

For me, it was easy. I did the play last year and it was the best experience I’ve had at Wharton. Why not do it again?

Jungha Yi (WG 2017)

I love to watch plays. To me, watching plays is a way to experience or immerse into a new world. So I wanted to be a part of a play to create a special experience for audiences.

Ruhi Dang (WG 2018)

I thought about this question for a while and my mind went through things such as I am doing this – to find my inner voice, to bring people together, to learn the art of improvisation, to share a story… but no, I realized I decided to do the play to make a fool of myself on stage.

Soo Kyung Lee (WG 2017)

I decided to do the play because first, I had a great experience when I was in the theater club as an undergrad and I wanted to know what it would be like to do a play at Wharton. Second, from my experience in undergrad I knew that being in a play brings a strong sense of community and it’s a great way to get to know each other so I wanted to make more friends at Wharton through this experience.

Hetal Shah (WG 2017)

Honestly, it’s a really fun and incorporates leadership skills such as public speaking, stage presence, and working with an ensemble cast/team.

Mona Kadouh (WG 2018)

I’ve always been interested in theatre and I wanted to use this as an opportunity to test my acting skills and build an awesome community of fun people!

Roshni Naidu (WG 2018)

I like to think of myself as a young Frieda pinto – same age, twice the talent, half the looks.

Priyanka Agrawal (WG 2017)

I am not an actor, I will make such a fool out of myself. So, I am the Producer, that’s what excites me the most. I feel for the show to come together, so many moving pieces have to be at the right place at the right time and everyone has to be on their feet the whole time, present in the moment to not screw up and improvise on the spot when needed. That energy is what I cannot stay away from. Also, the creation of a show teaches you so many leadership skills and it just felt right to be a part of this creation.

Valky Wang (WG 2018)

Of course because it’s fun! From script-writing to acting, from sound-effect to marketing, I’ve always enjoyed being part of the creation of things in the past and want to know how the magic happens here in Wharton! Being part of the production team for Death is a fascinating learning opportunity to explore multiple roles and aspects seen and not seen on stage. Did I mention we were literally punching each other dramatically on a Sunday night and distracted the security guard? It’s definitely a good way to destress.

Fun Facts:

Jason Dresner (WG 2018)

I was dating my now wife, Lisa, when I wrote a short film. When she read the script, she saw I wrote that I would be kissing someone in the movie. She demanded I re-write the scene! We got into a long, heated debate about how she was stifling my artistic expression because it was an important scene in the movie. She disagreed. Ultimately, we came to a compromise – I kept in the scene, but she inserted herself into the role of the person I would be kissing. Her performance was stellar.

Fast forward 10 years to “Death.” In this play, I am also involved in a kissing scene. This time, I can’t re-write the script and Lisa isn’t in the play, so I am just hoping she doesn’t rush the stage and knock out the other girl!

Aditi Muhnot (WG 2018)

Favorite line from this play without spoiling too much? I would never hurt a fly – ….okay, a fly maybe!

Roshni Naidu (WG 2018)

My acting background? Please, my whole life is an act! I don’t need a background, it’s my present and future!

Soo Kyung Lee (WG 2017)

I’ve never hit anyone or been in a physical fight before in my life, so I was a bit nervous about being in a fight scene. After our first practice, I was surprised to find out how much I actually enjoy fighting!

Mona Kadouh (WG 2018)

Favorite moment is when we all were practicing the fight scene and the security at 2401 thought we were actually fighting and was very confused.