Is It Truly Love, or Just Weird?: A Review on Scotch and Soda’s 'Missed Connections' Production

"Missed Connections," a show “conceptualized as an indulgence in a fantasy” and a “form of escapism” (as termed by Levi Chaplin-Loebell and Esha Gupta), stars eight different actors who recreate various “Missed Connections.” These range from mindless consumerist societal norms to seeking love in disconnected environments. Each story is unique; some discussed high school and college relationships while others focused on the contrast of adult lifestyle. The show provides an insight into the ethics behind these “missed connections” sites and also draws from the Carnegie Mellon Missed Connections Instagram page, which has recently received some backlash from fellow students who have been inappropriately called out on it.

The Craigslist play was especially unique because the audience members were able to submit their own “missed connections,” which were read aloud during the show. This added a unique touch to the show and engaged the audience well.

Each actor brought their own creative talents to the stage and played the story in their own ways. Cordelia Pride, Assistant Stage Manager, said that “each cast member added their own personal twist to each story, making it a lot more personable and relatable to the audience members.” Similarly, Hair and Makeup Head Kyr Brenneman discussed how excited she was to work with each actor on their look for every story.

Scotch'n'Soda continues to put on numerous shows throughout the year, including a “9 to 5” production during Carnival 2023.