Associate Professor of German Dr. Sarah Varela, or “Dr. V” to her students, will make her directorial debut in late April at Waterworks Players, Farmville’s community theater.
She will direct “Red,” a two-person play centered on artist Mark Rothko (Jordan Whiley) and his fictional assistant, Ken (Elijah Logue). The production delves into themes of artistic evolution, coming of age and the fear of becoming obsolete.
As the director, Varela will bring her unique vision and collaborative spirit to the play by being the “facilitator,” in her words. Varela said she values the contributions of every individual involved and describes her role as a “springboard for other people’s ideas.”
Furthermore, Varela said she seeks to create a show that reflects the collective effort of the cast and crew. “I have the responsibility that everybody who's worked on [the show] will see themselves in it somehow,” Varela said.
On stage, Varela has been involved in Waterworks Players since 2022, when she performed in her first production, “Twelfth Night.” She has gone on to perform in “Robin Hood,” “Appropriate,” and many more. She is also on the Waterworks Board of Directors.
Logue, who has acted at Waterworks since 2017, said Varela has led a collaborative effort to ensure a successful run. “It's been a group effort, led by Sarah, on what's expected, what the script says and how the actors are feeling.”
Logue said, “One of the things that I really appreciate about Sarah, is she wants to get into the specifics, not just, ‘Here, go on stage and do it.’”
Throughout the play, Rothko questions whether his work will stand the test of time. The character of Ken, representing younger generations, challenges Rothko’s perspective, leading to intense dialogue on change, innovation and identity.
As a first-time director, Varela said she has faced a fairly smooth process, but one which has come with challenges. For example, she said immense thought went into the set design. “[One of the challenges was], for me, thinking about what I wanted that set to look like, how abstract did I want it? How concrete did I want things? Making decisions like that, because I can sometimes be an indecisive person,” Varela said.
Outside of Longwood and Waterworks, Varela has a vibrant array of personal interests. She enjoys knitting, playing board games and collecting garden gnomes. Her hobbies often intersect with her professional and creative life and have made Varela’s schedule dynamic and busy.
“My real first obligation is my students and making sure, for example, I get their work back to them, and that I'm here to help them when they need it,” she said. “[University responsibilities] are the things I have to make sure I get done, so that I'm prepared for whatever I want to do later, like if I'm in a show.”
For Varela, fostering an environment where students feel safe, heard and valued is a priority both inside and outside the classroom. She emphasized that students should never have to worry about being themselves around her, regardless of their backgrounds or identities.
"I want [my office] to be a place they can come to if they need," Varela said. "I don’t want students to have to worry about who they are around me, I want them to be able to be themselves."
Varela encouraged Longwood students to come see the performance and hopes they will take a central message from “Red": “Don't be afraid to be a pioneer.”
“The same thing that Rothko wants Ken to take away from his experience and time there,” she said. “I would like to see students do the same, which is essentially to go out and make things and create in your own way. Make things new, don't always do things the way they've been done.”
The Waterworks Players' production of “Red," will take the stage on April 25-26, May 2-3 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance on April 27 at 2:00 p.m. They will be held at Waterworks Theatre in Farmville, VA, located at 25 SMI Way, Farmville, VA 23901.
