Bad Girls:
great show

Almost three decades after it was first performed in the US state of Texas, Jo Carol Pierce's critically acclaimed one-woman autobiographical musical, Bad Girls Upset by the Truth, has been brought back to the stage by an Otago alumna and doctoral student determined to revive the work for a modern audience.

With a rollicking narrative that explores themes around sex, religion, and the societal values that inform views around sexual freedom, slut-shaming and bodily autonomy for women in Western societies, it's no wonder that Jo Carol Pierce's Bad Girls Upset by the Truth set in Lubbock, Texas, was in line for a revival. What is more surprising is that it has been re-visioned half a world away – from the University of Otago.

But Otago alumna, director Marea Colombo, and PhD student, producer-performer Lauren Meckel, are on a mission to bring Pierce's “honest words” back to the stage.

“Jo Carol was writing ahead of her time and now, in this #MeToo moment, her words are more relevant than ever,” says Meckel, a fellow Texan, who first performed the one-woman show at the Dunedin Fringe in March 2019.

Pierce grew up in a small west Texas town and struggles to meet the expectations of her family, her friends and herself. Using song and storytelling, she seeks to answer life's burning question: what are these boys for and what am I supposed to do with them? The responses lead her astray and her religious awakening causes chaos. One reviewer described Meckel's performance as “as alluring as it is funny”, perfectly capturing Pierce's desperation and confusion as things escape her control, while amusing the audience with anecdotes and sillier moments to see the funny side.

In August 2019, the pair took Bad Girls to Edinburgh, as part of the Festival Fringe at Sweet Venues. The 11-day performance met with rave reviews. The show is now “back home” in Texas, with the pair focused on reaching as many people as possible over the coming years.

“We really believe in this story and think that it deserves to be told again and again,” says Colombo.

Despite their dedication to Bad Girls, the world of performance theatre is outside their usual “day jobs”. Colombo, who has a PhD in Psychology, is currently working as a marine science instructor on an island off the coast of California, while Meckel is finishing off her PhD in Anatomy. The pair met while Colombo was general manager of Improsaurus (Dunedin's improv troupe) and Meckel acted in her directorial debut, Throupledom, at Allen Hall's lunchtime theatre.

“I think that what I have learned is that everyone has a contribution to make to this world, and we need to harness creativity and diversity to make that happen.”

“Lauren had this amazing fire and focus and I knew I wanted to work with her,” says Colombo. “I was pretty nervous because it was my first directing opportunity. But Lauren is the kind of actress you dream of having: she takes direction, studies her text and really, really cares. I think those three skills were – and are – the key to our current production.”

Both credit the liberal arts education they received from the University of Otago as world-class – Meckel's master's degree is in the liberal arts while her PhD is in Health Sciences – which exposed them to new directions and ways of thinking.

Says Meckel: “To me, art is the most accessible way into a world different than your own and, as a scientist concerned with human rights, I am interested in exploring ways to simulate alternative life experiences that generate empathy, understanding and encourage open mindedness. The arts are the perfect outlet for this and I hope to continue to incorporate the arts into my career as a scientist and educator.”

Colombo agrees. “I cannot speak enough for my liberal arts education: it provided me the opportunity to take a wide range of classes and develop many, many passions.

“I joined the Capping Show at the University of Otago, which springboarded me into Improsaurus and afforded me many acting opportunities. I think that what I have learned is that everyone has a contribution to make to this world, and we need to harness creativity and diversity to make that happen.”

AMIE RICHARDSON