Off-Off-Broadway
Sheen Center for Thought and Culture
27 January 2026
Written by David Gutierrez, Retraction is based off a true story. This play warns of the dangers caused by inaccurate journalism and does not shy away from the ramifications faced by the journalist, those mentioned in the article, and even the entire movement it intended to help.
Directed by Caroline Fairweather, sound designed by Katie Reif, and a clever set designed by Julian von Haubrich this show uses projections to keep the audience informed of the date as well as overlapping spoken quotes to drive home just how overwhelming and devastating this real event was to everyone involved.
The play follows Wendy (Renata Friedman), an experienced journalist with a focus on sexual assaults occurring on college campuses. She settles on one particular rape case to be the focal point of her article — a violent gang rape, which the play takes great care to admit is far from the typical sexual assault cases reported by colleges and universities. The audience is introduced to Lacey (Rachel Resheff) who is the central figure in Wendy’s article. Her friends Chris (Carson McCalley), Melissa (Eliana Rowe), and Travis (Charlie Webb) all seem to have a different memory of the night in question and convey a multitude of conflicting emotions. Beyond that, Dean Gasso (Shannon Dorsey) the Dean of Carolina Atlantic University is vitally present as well as Zack (Nathaniel Stampley), the editor and person with ultimate approval of what gets published. Additionally there is a sexual assault survivor, Gillian (Bella Serrano) who understands the larger implications a false report may bring and Victor (Carson McCalley), another prominent journalist working to question the accuracy of Wendy’s article.
Dorsey, McCalley, Rowe, Serrano, Stampley, and Webb all take on more than one role. However, I found it difficult to distinguish when some of these role changes occurred. Dorsey also played Reporter #2, McCalley doubled as both Chris and Victor, Rowe portrayed Ms. Moore as well, Serrano also played Karina, Webb doubled as Reporter #1, and Stampley also portrayed Lawyer #2 and Reporter #3.
Most of the time, the distinction between each character an actor played was clear, but not always. When an actor begins reporting on breaking news, it is clear that is a reporter. When an actor is portraying a lawyer as well as one of the people questioned by another lawyer, that clarity becomes less defined. I found the clarity to halt altogether with the characters of Ms. Moore and Karina — nether of who I remember as distinct characters.
I thoroughly enjoyed how malleable the set is. Using rolling chairs and two folding tables with wheels, the scenes were able to change quickly, freely, and without disrupting any action on the stage. Combined with the use of projections showing everything from the Wikipedia page of the real life Wendy, to emails, and even the date of every prominent plot point — the play felt smooth and well practiced. Since the plot is told in a nonlinear way, it would have been hard to keep track of when the various things happened. That being said, even with the dates easily seen, I’ll admit at times I was still lost.
Here, the Wikipedia article of the real Wendy
Retraction recounts the same situation through various perspectives. Beyond the aftermath and everything that encompasses, the audience is left to wonder who, if any of the characters are truly reliable narrators? The answer is unfortunately one I think many don’t want to admit — none of us are. The truth is, memory is fallible. When humans remember a past event, it is not the actual event being remembered, but rather the memory of the last time the event was thought of.
Two people can tell the same story, both whole heartedly believing what they say and seeing it as absolute truth, and both accounts being completely different from the other. The same event can be unrecognisable when told by someone else. I appreciate how subtly this is portrayed throughout while also being a core element.
Retraction is intended as a dire warning against blind belief and a reminder of the consequences — legally, emotionally, and even harming the very thing you were trying to advance. I only hope the audience pays enough attention to it.
