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Cast members of Airness take the stage and celebrate together following their high-energy performance. The performers closed the show with a final acknowledgment of the audience.
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Facebender (left) played by Gage Gooding and Shreddy Eddy (right) played by Elliot Pruitt discuss Cannibal Queen’s played by Terry Symonette performance the previous year. Facebender made clear how impressed he was by her technical skills.
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Nina, played by Taylor Moore, steps onto the air guitar stage for the first time. She struggled through her debut, delivering an “awkward” and “embarrassing” performance.
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Golden Thunder (right) played by Eli Dozier and Nina (left) talk about her past performance and how to prepare for what comes next if she wants to qualify for the next round. They reflected on her prejudice and lack of understanding of air guitar.
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After Nina’s terrible performance, Shreddy Eddy shows her videos of air guitar competitors’ first performances to reassure and train her. Eddy helped Nina overcome the embarrassment she felt following her failure.
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Nina (right) and Cannibal Queen (left) sit down to confront their shared history with D Vicious, played by Wyatt Tripe. Nina revealed to Cannibal Queen she was engaged with D Vicious at the time the two of them had an affair.
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Nina (right) confronts D Vicious (left) addressing their unresolved past. Nina confessed she was there only to take revenge on his betrayal.
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Nina performs on stage reaching a turning point as she competes for a spot in the finals and reaches. Nina received an invite from the dark horse committee to get a last chance at participating in the final competition.
Disclaimer: The following article is an opinionated review of Airness. May Contain Spoilers.
The play “Airness,” written by Chelsea Marcantel, was performed at the Neese Gray theatre. The dates for the play were April 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 at 7:30 p.m. and April 26 at 2 p.m.
The cast includes Washburn students; Gage Gooding played role of ‘Facebender,’ Taylor Moore played role of ‘The Nina,’ Terry Symonette, played role of ‘Cannibal Queen,’ Wyatt Tripe played role of ‘D Vicious,’ Eli Dozier played role of ‘Golden Thunder,’ Elliot Pruitt played role of ‘Shreddy Eddy,’ and Ruby Johnson played role of ‘announcer, sprite executive and hooded figure.’
The play follows Nina, a newcomer who enters the world of competitive air guitar, where performers create full routines to rock music without ever playing a tangible instrument.
The play takes place across different competition settings, mostly in small bar environments where contestants gather, perform and move through different stages of the competition. Each character represents a different style and approach to air guitar, from technical ability to stage presence, making the competition feel more like a mix of personalities than just a contest.
At the beginning of the play, Nina is clearly out of place. The other competitors possess strong identities and confidence, while she is still trying to overcome her own judgment and understand how everything works. At first, it seems like she is simply trying something new; however, as the story develops, it becomes clear that her reason for entering this world is more personal.
Nina initially joins the air guitar scene with the intention of confronting D Vicious, a well-established competitor who turns out to be her ex-fiance. Their history, including his sudden disappearance and involvement with Cannibal Queen, adds a layer of tension that goes beyond the competition itself.
As the play continues, Nina is shaped by almost every character she meets. Shreddy Eddy introduces her to the rules and spirit of air guitar, while Golden Thunder helps her understand the emotional side of performing. Facebender brings a more personal, vulnerable and grounded perspective. Cannibal Queen challenges the way Nina approaches the competition and how she presents herself. D Vicious, on the other hand, represents the internal conflict that pushed her into this world in the first place. Each interaction adds something different, making Nina’s development feel gradual rather than forced. At the same time, she begins to grow within that environment. Her motives shift, and she slowly starts to build her own identity as a performer, finding her persona, “The Nina.”
The play includes a lot of humor, often coming from awkward or exaggerated moments, to which the audience reacted strongly, laughing and even moving along with the music at times. Even though some of the competition scenes felt repetitive, the energy of the cast helped maintain the pace of the performance.
Overall, I think “Airness” was a strong and interesting play. It started off feeling a bit ridiculous, but it ended up being more meaningful than anticipated. I liked how it explored confidence, revenge, pride, identity and finding purpose through performance. The cast’s energy carries the production from start to finish and the writing gives it enough depth to go beyond the surface. I would recommend seeing it while it is still being performed at the Neese Gray Theatre, free of charge for Washburn students and staff.
Edited by Bidhya Sapkota and Arohi Rai
