The Theater and Performance Studies program of Governors State performed their long-awaited production, “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark.” The play was held in Sherman Hall, and had five showings, with ticket prices retailing for $15  and $10 for students.

Outside Sherman Hall, there was an informative board discussing historical actresses from Hollywood. Once inside, the play began, consisting of comedy and satirical commentary on race, movie stereotypes, and more. Exploring the lifelong career of a fictional character named Vera Stark, the play jumps from the very beginning of her career, to the end, and then after her death as people examine her legacy.

The character Vera Stark struggles to begin her acting career, as many roles were full of racial stereotypes and were limited. However, one of the play’s final scenes is a panel of people discussing the roles she took and why she made those decisions throughout the years, demonstrating nuance to the topic.

During the show’s set changes, a projector played clips of old Hollywood movies that displayed racial stereotypes and roles in acting. “It’s really great, I love how they’re mixing media and informing us the actual history behind these other actors and characters,” an audience member said.

Another audience member, who happened to be related to one of the cast members, loved the story for how it explored the actresses’ struggles in their career: “I just love the story and how it shed light on theater, you know, in the past.”

In the final scene, the panel members question if Vera Stark and Gloria Mitchell were cousins or in a relationship, but the play leaves it ambiguous, “Which I like how they left it open, is Gloria actually Vera’s cousin or not? They left it open. I like that they left it open, but I’m pretty sure cousins, because of that relationship that they had,” one audience member concluded.

Overall, audience members enjoyed the show and it received a lot of praise.