BY ANNA STALTARI ’28

Skidmore Theater’s Spring 2025 production season began on the 10th and 11th of February, with a phenomenal production of Daniel Prillaman’s You See Them in the Corners of Your Eyes, directed by Lu Glassberg (‘26). The show featured Garin Miner-Drewes (‘28) as Max and Asa Baker-Rouse (‘28) as Charlie, two close friends who spend one night in the woods each year, telling scary stories and eating s’more’s by the fire. With the help of Naomi Wagner (‘26) as sound designer, Ella Theoharis (‘26) as set designer, Tali Lissai (‘28) as lighting operator, and Milo Scowden (‘28) as stage manager, this hauntingly beautiful story came to life.

Upon entering Studio A of the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater, I was instantly transported into the middle of the woods. In this particular woodsy clearing, there was an old stone well stood surrounded by mulch and twigs. A row of audience members sat on the ground around the perimeter of the stage (as if seated around a real-life campfire), and they had become immersed in the world of the play before it had even started. I took a seat in the second row and listened to the hum of the eager audience which was backed by nostalgic songs that seemed to embody a sense of camaraderie. As this music seamlessly faded into the chirp of crickets and soft hush of leaves of the summer night, the lights dimmed and
the show began!

Throughout the show, an extremely realistic friendship was established between the two characters as they bantered and joked about who could tell the scariest stories. They took turns monologuing chilling tales of snakes and celery people (yes, celery people) while laughing over pranks and calling each other out for interruptions. As their evening went on, Max and Charlie carelessly indulged in s’mores and joints, but subtle changes in Max’s attitude, as brilliantly conveyed by Miner-Drewes, revealed a deeper truth to the lighthearted fun of the evening. In truth, Max admitted that Charlie had passed away years ago after a tragic accident involving a push down into a well. In the captivating moment of this revelation, I felt my arm jerk up to my mouth in shock.

In the midst of this plot twist, the moment that stood out to me the most was a heart-shattering hug between the two friends as they both wrestled with the thought of moving on. I couldn’t help but notice how genuine a physical connection there was between the two actors in a moment of touch between a human being and what was perceived to be a ghost or spirit. It was pondering this phenomenon that I began to wonder what it meant for the two boys to let each other go. In that moment, it was clear that the physical embodiment of Max and Charlie didn’t matter; they were just two souls, somewhere in between life and death, grasping on to each other in the sincerest form of connection. This embrace is to be commended even further in recognition of the length of the play. While I—as a part of the audience—did not get to know Charlie and Max for very long, Miner-Drewes and Baker-Rouse were able to develop such a strong bond between the two characters in the short time they had on stage, which made this climactic moment all the more impactful.

In addition to the stellar performance of the two actors, I can’t go without recognizing the magnificent technical aspects which truly enhanced the stakes of the plot and made the world of the play extremely believable. Notably, the story arc of the sounds as arranged by Wagner beautifully conveyed the heightened suspense and sentimentality of the show. Lines and actions of great importance were surrounded by the sounds of heavy breathing, wind, and heartbeats in addition to the continuous symphony of nighttime critters—a harmonious blend of the natural and supernatural that added great depth to the meaning of each scene. Also adding to the authenticity of the environment were the twigs
and leaves which were placed around the stage by Theoharis through her scenic design. As actors Miner-Drewes and Baker-Rouse walked around, I was continuously pulled further into their world as their feet crunched along the ground underfoot.

Overall, I was completely blown away by the performance, and all the hard work that had clearly gone into making this production so special. Something that I found to make it even more exceptional was hearing Glassberg explain their reasoning behind choosing to direct this specific play. Not only were they extremely passionate about the humor and themes of Prillaman’s show but hearing them explain their lack of interest in plays that don’t feature a strong sense of human connection really made me think and appreciate the bond of Max and Charlie in new ways. In the end, this beautiful story and production begged the audience to consider how far one would go for friendship, and at what point one is forced to let go and move on. The entire team is to be commended for their effort and talents in breathing life into a relationship that seemed to transcend existence itself.

Photos by Logan Waugh

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Anna Staltari ’28 is a staff writer for the Skidmore Theater Living Newsletter