Theatre Opens ‘End to Avoid Damage’ Play

Westmont has commissioned a new play that explores friendship and the laundry list of things to do as the end of the world nears. “End to Avoid Damage,” written by Diane Exavier, Westmont theatee arts department scholar-in-residence, will be performed in Porter Hall Black-Box Theatre at Westmont on Sunday, March 25, and Monday, March 26, both at 7:30 p.m. All performances are free and open to the public.

The play, directed by senior Karly Kuntz, features senior projects by actor Troy Chimuma and designer Leslie Duggin.

Chimuma, who plays Leroy, is desperately in search of his brother, whom he hasn’t seen in years, to rekindle their childhood relationship before the world comes to an end. “It’s a work of art that shows the lives of people living in black culture and how the external circumstances of the play impact each character differently and how they cope,” Chimuma says. “I hope audiences leave feeling as though they were invited into a foreign world and didn’t feel alienated or distant, but felt one with the world.”

Chimuma was introduced to Exavier’s work when he was lighting director for one of her plays, “Blame the Season” at last year’s Westmont’s Fringe Festival. “After the final performance, I was approached by John Blondell, theatre arts professor, about commissioning a play from Diane for my senior project,” Chimuma says.

Exavier, a native of Haiti who lives in Brooklyn, New York, is a three-time recipient of the Roland Wood Fellowship for Theater Studies from Amherst College, where she completed her Bachelor of Arts in theater and dance. She recently received a Master of Fine Arts in writing for performance from Brown University.