A woman barters away her memories to a devil-like figure. A household unravels in lies, betrayal, and bloodshed. This winter’s Drama Labs delivered a night of gripping, original storytelling that left the audience mesmerized and, at times, unsettled. The two featured plays—No Refunds by Jeannie Kang (’28) and The Rabbit directed by Ashiq Kibria (’26)—were masterclasses of testing characters’ emotional limits in eerie settings. These compelling narratives were a stage for ambitious, thought-provoking theater.
Written and directed by Jeannie Kang ’28, No Refunds follows Nyla Birmingham, a young woman who begins selling off memories she deems unnecessary. Throughout the story, Birmingham erases the very essence of her past, culminating in a heartbreaking moment when she wakes up without any recollection of the woman who raised her. Kang’s goal was to examine how memories define us, even painful ones, and what happens when we erase the past that shaped us.
“The message I wanted to convey was, what are good memories or not? All memories eventually form [a person’s] sense of self and establish [their] identity, and therefore we should cherish them regardless of the pain that they may trigger inside us,” said Kang.
Kang’s biggest responsibility while making No Refunds, was ensuring her characters were complex, and felt authentic for the audience. While this was the most burdening aspect of the playwriting process, in the end it was extremely gratifying to see her characters come to life.
“Another part which was slightly harder for me was the responsibility [of bringing] the characters to life…This is a world premier, the first time performing this play, which made it harder for me to determine the character’s needs and their personalities,” said Kang. She continued, “I would voice out the lines. I would be like, Emma! Jonathan! and I would speak to the characters in my heart. So it is just rewarding, exciting, but also scary as to how this will live up on the stage.”
The Rabbit was a slow-burning tragedy that explored infidelity, murder, and power struggles within a fractured home. Director Ashiq Kibria ’26, outlined the limited time frame in which he and Kang had to select their plays, cast them, and rehearse sufficiently.
“We had around 3 weeks to plan out, so auditions were at the beginning of this month. I picked my cast and I really liked them, and then I created a group chat, in which I was able to text them about rehearsals. So…I had 3 rehearsals in total, including tech. The first rehearsal, we went over the blocking. The next rehearsal, I wanted them to have their lines memorized, and thankfully, the cast did. And then, last one, we had tech, in which we messed around with lighting, made sure the sound effects were good, and finally, today for the performance,” said Kabria.
For many in attendance, the performances left a lasting impression. Alex Lin ’28, an aspiring Drama Labs participant, was particularly struck by No Refunds, and saw the narrator as a reflection of her own internal conflicts.
“I really enjoyed the part where Nyla talks to her past self. I feel like that part of the play was the most interesting to watch because there’s a difference between the two. She’s trying to convince her past self to not sell her memories to the devil, and personally, I’ve speculated about talking some sense with my past self many times before and I think it’s just an interesting concept to play with,” shared Lin.
Despite the high quality of the performances, turnout was lower than expected. Lin expressed disappointment at the small audience, encouraging more students to support their peers and their production.
“I feel like not a lot of people came today. There were 10 people, it was disappointing. The plays were really good! They should advertise it better because I didn’t know it was happening till this afternoon,” said Lin.
With Spring Term’s Drama Labs on the horizon, directed by Sebastian Lemberger ’25, and Saumik Sharma ’25, the stage is set for another round of fresh, daring storytelling. If No Refunds and The Rabbit are any indication, audiences can expect more captivating performances that linger long after the final bow. For those inspired by the night’s performances, both directors emphasized that DramaLabs is an open space for anyone interested in acting or directing.
“[Dramalabs] are low commitment and everyone gets casted, which is so cool. So I really hope I can see more of my fellow directors and actors in the spring term Drama Labs,” said Kang.
