Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment

"How I Learned to Drive," written by Paula Vogel, first premiered in New York and was performed this past weekend by Bridgewater State College.

It was one of the theater's best performances of the year. Directed by Suzanne Ramczyk, the play was moving in its depiction of how a child, who is being sexually abused, gets into the abusive relationship, how she gets out of the relationship, and how she is transformed by it.

The story revolves around Li'l Bit (Kacie Dietrich), who, at age 11, is sexually abused by her Uncle Peck (Curtis Bellafiore) while he teaches her how to drive a car.

At first Li'l Bit does not do anything about it and does not tell anyone, but when she gets into college and tries to move away from her Uncle, she tells him to leave her alone.

Uncle Peck then goes to her school and tries to talk Li'l Bit into sleeping with him. She tells him she never wants to see him again, and that is the last time she sees him.

Dietrich does an amazing job of portraying a scared girl who is looking for comfort from her family and finds it in her uncle.

"The play is about forgiveness and family," says Dietrich. "It's also about finding love despite of everything that Li'l Bit goes through and the way that she deals with the situation."

Bellafiore also does a fantastic job of being a creepy, but an understanding and loving uncle who is always there for Li'l Bit when she needs him.

The rest of Li'l Bit's family include: her Mom (Shannon Dwyer), her Grandpa (Andrew Adler), her Aunt Mary, who is married to Uncle Peck (Erin Nichole Draper), and her Grandma (Bethany Trepanier), who was part of the comic relief of the show.

The family was very open about sex. Li'l Bit's Mom and Grandma would talk to her about men, and her Grandpa would always comment on how Li'l Bit had bigger breasts then anyone in the family even though she was the youngest.

The Doo-Wop group that was on stage for the whole play would sing songs that went with what was going on in the play. The songs added to the effect of what was going on in the play but the singing was alright.

"I liked it," said freshman Emma Donegan. "The scenery was good and the acting was good. The singing, however, wasn't all that great. I think having a CD of the songs might have been better." "How I Learned to Drive" was double casted and on opening night, which was Friday, April 25, Melanie Bernier was Li'l Bit, Adam Joy was Uncle Peck, and Stephanie Kelley was Grandma.

The play is still going to play through this weekend. On May 1-3 at 8 p.m. in the Rondileau Campus Center.

There is limited seating so make sure to arrive early.

Also make sure to check out the BSC theatre company next year in the fall when they put on their next play, which is The Magic Flute, written by Mozart.

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