“ROLEPLAY” returned to Tulane University last Tuesday with a showing in the Lake Residence Hall Village Theater, addressing social issues that continue to plague Tulane’s campus culture.
The documentary follows the development of “Roleplay,” a play written largely by Tulane students and faculty, which premiered in 2019 and has been presented in updated versions in the years since.
The creation of the play was sparked by the findings of Tulane’s 2017 climate survey, which showed high rates of sexual misconduct and sexual violence against Tulane students during their time at the university.
The survey reported that 41% of undergraduate women and 18% of undergraduate men had experienced sexual assault since enrolling at Tulane. Further, LGBTQ+ students reported disproportionately higher rates of sexual assault, the tensions of which are delved into by central cast members in “ROLEPLAY.”
Jenny Mercein, an associate professor of theatre and producer of “ROLEPLAY,” spoke about the pivotal town hall meeting Tulane held after the 2017 survey results were released.
“It was the first time that I’d seen the students so galvanized, … so passionate, so articulate … and demanding action,” Mercein said.
What followed in subsequent months is exactly what “ROLEPLAY” pictures.
As the diverse cast created what would become a defining part of their collegiate careers, they grappled with their own experiences, biases and shortcomings, with the goal of creating a piece of art representative of university social life. The cast considered their romantic relationships, social responsibilities and the ways identity informs their engagement with campus sexual cultures.
Notably, the political climate that existed during “Roleplay” production weighed heavily on many of those involved. Mercein recalled one such rehearsal in 2018, the night Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh — a man with multiple accusations of sexual assault — had his confirmation hearing to become a United States Supreme Court justice.
“That was a really, really charged atmosphere, and there was a lot of anger in the room,” Mercein said.
High-profile cases like Kavanaugh’s bring to light conversations surrounding masculinity, particularly as viewers watch the male actors in “Roleplay” consider their own roles in perpetuating sexual violence.
“One of many things that I think this film does is model young men trying to find a way to live in this world and embody masculinity in a way that isn’t destructive,” Mercein said.
Now, “ROLEPLAY” is used as a teaching tool at universities across the United States to promote dialogue around sexual violence on campus. Organizers urged those who attended last week’s in-person showing to complete pre- and post-surveys that can be used to determine the film’s impact through a statistical lens.
The documentary does an excellent job of sparking conversations related to problems with varying campus cultures, particularly as they pertain to the importance of empathy. It does not shy away from sensitive topics. Instead, the portrayal of these issues encourages viewers to take a better look at their own contributions with the goal of promoting change.
Tulane students can stream “ROLEPLAY” for free on Kanopy.