Book Club: Rhinoceros: A Play in Three Acts

Just as the Newfields campus is invaded this summer by colorful animals for Summer Wonderland: Spectacular Creatures, the small French town in Eugène Ionesco’s Rhinoceros (1959) is experiencing an invasion of its own. One resident after another becomes a rhinoceros—except for a lone man, Bérenger, who is left to watch his fellow citizens change into thick-skinned, four-legged beasts. Ionesco’s hysterical but thoughtful comedy explores ideas about conformity, transformation, and responsibility and will be brought to life after the discussion by local actor Zach Stonerock, who will perform Bérenger’s most captivating monologues. Rhinoceros is available through the Indianapolis Public Library system or can be accessed online.