KENT, OH – School of Theatre and Dance faculty member Fabio Polanco takes the stage in the role of “Derrick” this weekend in a reading of the new play “Standardized Patient” by Phillip Christian Smith as part of the New Ground Theatre Festival at Cleveland Play House.
“What leads someone to become a standardized patient, engaging in role play to help doctors develop a compassionate bedside manner? Listening to the humorous and heart-wrenching stories from the actors he’s interviewing, Derrick, a documentary filmmaker, quickly learns about the roots of empathy, how unsympathetic doctors can learn kindness, and what happens when the line between reality and fiction starts to blur. When his subjects start inquiring about his own medical history and trauma, Derrick is forced to reckon with a form of healing that goes beyond the mere physical.” – Excerpt from Cleveland Play House
The New Ground Theatre Festival is produced by Kent State University School of Theatre and Dance alumna Roe Green, who received her M.A. from Kent State in theatre in 1980, and has remained active in the community since. Ms. Green also serves on the board of Cleveland Play House.
The production of “Standardized Patient” by Phillip Christian Smith takes place on Saturday, June 22 at the Outcalt Theatre.