In a politically charged yet lighthearted musical skit, a group of UNC students serenaded Orange County residents about gay marriage Sunday evening.
“N.C. Amendment One: The Musical!” is a six-minute show about the proposed same-sex marriage amendment that will appear on the upcoming primary ballots in May. The amendment would define marriage between one man and one woman as the only domestic union recognized in North Carolina.
UNC sophomore Rachel Kaplan wrote and produced the musical in an effort to inform voters and to demystify the politics surrounding Amendment One.
Kaplan and a group of 15 students performed the musical Sunday at the Orange County Human Relations Month Forum 2012, “Defining Marriage in North Carolina by Constitutional Amendment: What are the Implications?”
A panel before the performance facilitated a discussion about the proposed amendment and the potential negative impact it would have on unmarried couples.
The energy of the small cast provided an upbeat conclusion to the dialogue between the forum’s panel and audience.
Pitting politicians against citizens, the plotline hinges on the contention over voting for the rights of those in same-sex and domestic partnerships. The cheerful resiliency of the citizens contrasts with the brusque demands of the politicians. Each group’s arguments create a palpable tension on stage.
Seemingly at an impasse, the debate is interrupted by the jovial hail of George Washington, played by sophomore Ben Elling.
He is the star of the show when he descends on the politicians and citizens, wittily knocking some sense into the situation.
