All I knew about Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom (or N3RD as it is quippily shorthanded) was what I’d read from our preview; suburban kids become addicted to a zombie-killing videogame and the lines between realities blur. What I found when I walked into Parkland Theatre’s Second Stage was a completely immersive, cleverly crafted short work that put some talented teens into the spotlight.
N3RD was originally written for a cast of four, one teen and one adult of each gender, but in this production each teen part has an individual actor. In my opinion, this both made each character distinct and gave some younger thespians well-deserved attention. While all of the teen roles were acted believably and naturally, standout performances were delivered by Amber Sarno (Kaitlyn, pictured left) and Jasmine 
Elam (Madison, pictured right). Both of these young women did an excellent job demonstrating conflicting emotions and motivations all while performing actions that seemed unrelated to the dialogue. With one a Parkland theatre major and the other having multiple lead roles in recent high school productions, they each held their own against the veteran actors in the cast. I truly look forward to seeing more from these talents in the future.
Even with some outstanding cast members, to me, the remarkable aspect of this play is its staging. Most incarnations of N3RD are staged on a minimal set that incorporates technology. The scenic, costume and lighting designers brought innovation and depth to this staging. Monitors are built into the set in a way that is useful and unobtrusive, and many elements of scenery performed dual-duty in ways which are clever and believable, thanks to Julie Hannaford Rundell. Malia Andrus’ 
costumes take typical teen clothing and add little touches that clue in the careful observer to the videogame already beginning to creep into reality. Lighting designer Nick Shaw uses the mandatory blacklight to good effect, adding just the right amount of affected color to keep things eerie without being cheesy. With any show of horror, the atmosphere has to be just right, and N3RD managed to get a good blend of haunted house with suburbia with videogame.
I call the audience “observers”, but the play and this production work together to signal that we are more than simple viewers of this work. The beauty of a black-box theatre is that the space can be configured to suit the play, yet this is the first time I’ve seen a 270 stage. Wrapping around three sides, with the seats in the middle, the audience is surrounded by scenery and stage area, and action will come from all sides. (ProTip: if you can, choose seats near the front for not only the best viewing experience, but a clue that will come in handy during the final scene). A voiceover intended to be from inside the videogame is the first indicator that this performance will not be a passive one for the audience, even before the play actually begins. Thanks to this mechanic and a second-person narration, it is very easy to feel as if the voice is speaking directly to you throughout the entire show, making the plot feel even more personal.
All in all, the 80 minutes I spent in the Neighborhood were filled with building suspense, clues to figure out, and talented young people. There were some moments when the script’s dialogue careened into clichéd territory, but seeing just how the twists and turns were going to take us to the inevitable end was enjoyable. Serious gamers may feel some of the script’s portrayals are closer to Zork than Left4Dead, and serious theatre-goers may find that the script never truly realizes any of the points it might be trying to make. Still, as with any video game, the journey becomes as much of the purpose as the goal, and even though there may be tedious bits, there are enough good elements that you have a good time and you see it through to the end.
Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom is shuffling to Parkland Theatre’s Second Stage, October 8-10 at 7:30 p.m., with a special brunch of brains matinee at 3 p.m. on October 11. Ticket prices begin at $15, with special discounts for students (not ripe), seniors (statistically slower), and groups (herd mentality). Zombies can only eat so much Second Stage can only seat so much, my mistake, so reservations are recommended, made either online or by calling 217-351-2528.
Photos by Scott Wells