Theater students conclude a 3-performance run of spring play

With gun in hand, Tom warns his wife Rachel that he has hired a man to kill her on Christmas Eve.

Now Rachel, played by Casey Jane Satterlund, must go on the run to avoid her impending doom.

As the stage of the San Jose City College Theater illuminated from the darkness, the cast of “Reckless” took to their places for a final run on April 6.

Under the direction of Dennis Sloan, Professor of theater arts, the production came to a close after a three performance run from April 4 through 6. Admission was free, but canned food donations were accepted for the Second Harvest Food Bank.

“Reckless” was a hilarious, dark comedy with a heartfelt message that was charmingly portrayed by its cast.

The story follows Rachel on her journey as she meets new people, changing her identity multiple times to avoid being recognized. Bad luck seems to follow no matter where she runs.

Satterlund did a sensational job portraying Rachel, a happy and bubbly character who is shocked after learning of her husband’s plans.

Satterlund stole the performance by becoming her character and drawing in the audience as they went through Rachel’s journey together.

She was also the comedic, driving force that consistently entertained and brought laughter to the audience.

While on the run, Rachel meets Lloyd, played by Chad Stewart, at a payphone where he offers her a ride and later a place to stay.

Playing the role of Lloyd, a calm and collected man who lives with his paraplegic and deaf girlfriend Pooty, played by Caitlin Shriner, Stewart made the perfect yin to Satterlund’s yang.

Together the pair made for a dynamic duo of crazy and calm, creating lively stage chemistry and comedic timing that breathed life into the performance.

The stage design was simple, yet effective with a monochromatic color scheme of white that tied in to the winter motif.

Dramatic leading lines created by the set comfortably directed the viewers’ eyes and attention to center stage, where most of the action took place.

The costume design was very simple with most characters dressed in standard street clothes, which fit the subject matter of everyday people.

One thing that was slightly distracting throughout the play was the lack of a costume change for Rachel.

She began the play in white pajamas and remained in the same outfit the entire play.

“Reckless” followed Rachel through multiple Christmases, and without a costume change the sense of time gone by began to get lost.

Another distraction that began hinder the sense of reality was the number of props that began to clutter the stage.

After each scene, props seemed to be left out and never removed, blurring the lines between different locations such as the home, office and game show.

“Reckless” shows us that life can get complicated and messy, but we need to keep strong and carry on because, in the words of Rachel, “things just happen.”