Loyal Daughters and Sons
“What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life – to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories” –George Eliot
Loyal Daughters and Sons began as the senior thesis project of Maddison Liddy in the spring of 2006. In an effort to explore gender issues and sexuality at Notre Dame, Liddy created a play based on interviews from students. Since then, it has grown into an annual, entirely student-run, production.
Today, LDS is a unique collection of real, true stories from Notre Dame students, addressing a variety of topics centered on life under the Dome – stories about stereotypes, harassment, sexual violence, self-discovery, and personal journeys. Raw, honest, and sometimes controversial, the production encourages open dialogue about issues on campus otherwise suppressed or ignored due to social stigma or personal shame and regret.
I attended the last two performances of LDS and was continuously amazed at the level of the performances’ intensity. I hesitate to refer to it as a “play,” a term colloquially used to describe fictional enactments, because every scene in LDS is truly someone’s story. Directed, produced, portrayed, inspired and organized by students, Loyal Daughters and Sons is more than a play. It is an exhibition, an achievement, a concept and a dialogue.
This year, I had the privilege to participate in the production as an actress – an experience entirely new to me. In every aspect, Loyal Daughters and Sons is the collective effort of a number of incredibly talented Notre Dame students. During the past month, I worked alongside some of the most amazing people who have come together in an effort to break the silence of a stigma that surrounds sensitive and sometimes dark subjects that are no less real just because they are difficult to talk about. Despite how distant some of these topics may seem every story is much closer to home than one would like to accept. LDS challenges participants and viewers to address social issues relevant to everyone. In this dialogue, LDS give the stories of Notre Dame students the reverence they deserve. The theme for this year’s show is “I Am Not…” which encourages the dismantling of superficial stereotypes that have become pervasive and almost automatic in the schemas of Notre Dame students.
Loyal Daughters and Sons opens on Thursday, February 28 at 7:30pm in the Carey Auditorium of Hesburgh Library and will hold two additional performances on Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2. Tickets are $3 for students and $5 for non-students, available from LaFortune Box Office and at the door.
This year’s production is directed by Lauren Palomino and sponsored by The Gender Studies Program and The Gender Relations Center.
Graphic Design by Megan Malley