The Heidi Chronicles: Student director shares vision

Shelby Jones is bringing her vision to life on stage as she makes her directorial debut in MHCC’s Spring Theatre Production, “The Heidi Chronicles.”

Jones, a second-year student at Mt. Hood, is studying general education in the hopes of transferring to University of Portland after fall term, where she plans to pursue nursing. To her, the theater is simply a passion.

“I’m really involved in the theater department, so I feel at home… It’s kinda strange being like, ‘I’m still going to be a nurse,’ and they’re all Broadway,” Jones said.

She was born in Mexico and lived in England for two years when she was growing up, and said her family is British. “I should have an accent, and I should know how to speak Spanish, but I don’t. I know how to count to ten and that’s about it,” she said.

Jones said she was surprised that she was selected to direct the spring play. She is part of Mt. Hood’s directing class, where each of the students in the class made their “pitch” as to why they should be chosen as director. “I went with a more simple approach, with the abstract set and having a different lighting approach, having lighting set where we are, having costumes be the major detail,” she said of her vision for the play.

“The Heidi Chronicles,” a fictional play written by Wendy Wasserstein, is a story that focuses on the life progression of the main character, who is an art historian. “My first time reading through it, it was a little hard to understand; it’s kind of a complicated play,” Jones said. “It takes Heidi through scenes of her life during three decades: the 1960s, ’70s and the ’80s.

“Each scene is in a new year of Heidi’s life, so it’s very different — you gotta keep up, ’cause it goes through like 30 years.”

The progression of the main character is shown in all aspects of her life. “You just see her relationship with men in her life, and with women in her life, and it’s kinda her growth… and she ends up as a mature woman at the end,” Jones said.

She said the play has historical references that older generations will enjoy. “It’s a smart play. It gets you to think deeper about life and what we view — television, and all the things surrounding us.

“The John Lennon shooting is in the play, all (those) kind of references,” she said. “So, I think the older generation will love it, get it.”

One of the most difficult parts for Jones and the rest of the cast is making sure they are familiar with and understand the time periods they are acting in. “We have to really educate ourselves on the time periods… you just kinda have to really think older and mature,” she said.

Another struggle for the student director is trying to manage friendships and authority.

“It was really crazy doing auditions, just because I know what my friends wanted. I just had to separate and focus on what I think would be best for the play,” she said.

Jones believes the play’s audience will benefit, emerging with a better understanding and reflection on their own lives: “The play is a lot of subtext… I think people will come out of this play really thinking about themselves and what they’re doing with their lives.”

“The Heidi Chronicles” opens May 29, starting at 7:30 p.m., with repeat showings the same time on May 30-31.

Advance tickets cost $5 and may be purchased at the College Theatre lobby, Wednesday through Friday, or online at mhcc.edu/theatre.