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Montclair State’s Theatre Studies students recently performed PENANCE: The Ghost of Don Juan, a story that everyone attending college can relate to. 

The show opened with a young woman and young man dressed in 18th century clothes. During this scene, the woman poured her heart out about what she was going through at this point in her life. However, the young man said nothing during this scene and throughout the play. This young man was the character Don Juan, who symbolized men throughout time who have broken young women’s hearts. He symbolized all the men in society who look upon women as sex objects. 

Throughout the play, the actors kept flashing back to the scene with a talk show host interviewing a Don Juan robot in modern times. When asked how he views women, the student playing the robot responded, “I see them all the same.” The only difference between the talk show host and the robot was that the talk show host yearned to connect with others and form relationships. To me, this referenced the two types of men in society: those who can settle down and have a relationship and those who want to be lifetime bachelors. The show was very unique and addressed important issues that young adults go through while trying to find their identity. 

Maxine Mack is an undergraduate student at Montclair State, majoring in Communications Studies with a focus on public relations.