www.cmu.edu/news: The Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama is bringing a literary classic to the stage beginning at 8 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 19, with William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies,” adapted for the stage by Nigel Williams. The show, directed by Associate Professor of Directing Caden Manson, will run through Dec. 5 in the Philip Chosky Theater in CMU’s Purnell Center for the Arts.
15 comments:
I’m very excited to see this show, and about what the production says about theatre. The re-envisioning of this classic is exactly what is needed to keep classics, and theatre revived. I am in no way saying that art has to always be what people think they want to see, but Art should reflect life, and I mean if no one is paying to see the shows then there is no more shows. I am a big believer that so many of the themes from the classics are still relative to todays society, and I think this production will do a great job of expressing that explicitly. The media sounds so cool and will lend itself to that purpose very well, as well as showing audiences how similar they behave to these characters, because our society tends to think of ourselves as so beyond that. This is a very important production and I look forward to seeing it.
I can't wait to see this interpretation of he classic book because it sounds like they're taking the themes of the original text and adapting them to today's times. It could be because I haven't seen enough theater, but I've never heard of a show that focuses on teen party culture to the same extent and I think it's a theme that's wide open for discussion. The topics of personal maturity and how chaos exposes our true selves are ones that I believe can lead to really interesting theater. Since I'm interested in concentrating in Media Design, I'm interested to see how the methods they described in their Intents and Insight presentation, like using social media and easily recognizable computer graphics to slowly transition into more and more unsettling images that catch the audience off guard, will be executed and if they convey the themes of the show well. I'm also excited for this show because it will be my first CMU show ever to watch (since I was on crew for Much Ado).
During the conservatory hour session discussion of Lord of The Flies with the designers, I was in such complete awe and amazement when they describes what and how they were going to interpret the play. Media was going to be utilized in this play that I've never seen done anywhere else-- it was during this sit-in that I really began to grasp the depth of media in the theatre world. I was also really struck by how CMU Drama decided to take on and interpret Lord of The Flies. I know Lord of The Flies as a classic novel that touches upon the darkness inside humanity and it takes place amongst school-aged boys on a deserted island. The avenue that CMU decided to take it in ("brothers" in a fraternity house setting) is novel and refreshing. I am very excited to see this show be put on! It will also be the first main stage show I see at Carnegie Mellon School of Drama since I was on run crew for Much Ado About Nothing!
I am so excited to see what CMU does with this show. I think it's an interesting story in general, but put in a theatrical setting it's even better. Based on what they said in conservatory hour, the designs with this show will be so incredible to see. School of Drama is putting the story of Lord of the Flies in an entirely new light with their idea of setting the show within a frat. This design choice in setting will make this production even better for students in college. I cannot wait to see this show, since it takes a familiar story like Lord of the Flies and completely reimagines it in a brand new setting.
I rather wish I still had conservatory hour so that I could hear in greater detail the conceptualization and planning behind Lord of the Flies. The thought processes interest me, and the cohesion between different details is nice to see on a big-picture scale. Over the last several weeks I have had a great deal of contact with certain separate elements of Lord of the Flies without actually being exposed to, or having any substantial knowledge about the overarching ideas and goals driving this particular production. It will be interesting to see the various parts I dealt with merge and shape the overall performance.
More interesting, however, will be audience reception of the show. How much of the concept will translate? How will the set and various other production choices be understood? Because as wonderful and enlightening as conservatory hour is, I firmly believe that shows cannot rely on explanation such as that provided in the class.
This show is incredible. It is one of those few stories that will not grow old as all the themes are still relevant today. Telling the story in a frat house instead of the classic lost island boys, makes it even more real. As college students we can all relate even more, which is exactly what the director wanted to come across. I think the media adds a whole new level to it as well. Projecting countless web pages of actual events that all stem from something the characters are going through makes it even more real because it shows real occurrences in our society that happened. Such a great production, would recommend everyone sees it.
As someone on run crew for Lord of the Flies, I am extremely excited to see how the audience responds to this show. Frankly, I think it is the media design that will make or break the viewers experience. The projections at the start of the show are the most obvious attempt to convey the Director's anti-bullying/hazing message. Aside from that, the media is mostly live camera work. Through the first and second act, the media commands most of the audience'a attention. The design really is phenomenal. The costumes are also breath-taking. The design team did an excellent job with creating costumes that evolve as the tension in the show rises. The actors are also very excited to preform this. Amanda Jerry, who plays Jack, is in excellent command of her role. Overall, with the amount of talent in the deign and the adrenaline on stage, I think this tension-filled show will astound audiences. I highly suggest everyone goes to see it.
I am extremely excited to see this show because while it is one thing to hear about the thought processes behind the designs in conservatory hour, it is another thing entirely to see how those design elements transfer into the actual production. Like Michelle, I'm actually pretty excited to be able to watch a mainstage show rather than working on it, because it will allow me to identify different aspects of the designs for myself during the show as opposed to knowing exactly what is going on from working backstage. I remember in sophomore year English in high school we ended up spending about 3 months studying this book because of poor time management and outside circumstances, and by the end of it the themes and the original story had been completely beat to death. Because of that, I'm really glad that the story is being set in a drastically different environment with the incorporation of modern media-I think it will be a refreshing and interesting take on the original story.
I cannot wait to watch this show! After hearing about it in conservatory hour, I got so drawn in with all their talk about the media and the sound and the BLOOD! I don't really know what the story of Lord of the Flies is about. The most connectionsi have with this show are my stagecraft crew calls. Helping put up the walls and setting up speakers and laying out the floor sort of made me see the world of lord of the flies and it's dang cool! Making the ear rigs for the actors' mics was so fun as well. Being a college student, I hope to feel a deeper connection with the play once I actually watch it and understand the characters. I know it is going to be a great performance.
There are so many. I mean MANY MANY delicate details in this show I can't even tell, or actually I can just speak forever of how complicated this show is. The design and production team has been working so hard for so long to come up with this fantastic shows that I am proudly to say this is the most challenging one I've been in so far at CMU, apart from, you know, Wild Party and The Wiz. I'm lucky to be involved in the process and see how the rehearsal works and see everyone including myself step by step overcome each challenge and grow as a team and as an individual. I think this is a good part about an institution is that we produce shows that so crazy and but still we got a chance to learn from one another on what to do and what not to do. Anyway, come see the show, it's pretty amazing.
So I have been working on Lord of the Flies for weeks now, I have devoted a lot of time to this production. Technically my role is assistant director, but I am actually one of the camera operators for the live camera feed media that happens during the show. I have heard Caden discuss the concept for this show many many times and to many different types of people. The context changes, sometimes he’s talking to the actors or the dramaturg or the set designer or Peter Cooke even. And I was also there when Peter Cooke saw a run of our show and gave notes. After reading this article, I’m confused as to why these two professors were represented like this. Peter Cooke’s quote seems really unemotional and seems to be looking at a dated version of the show. And I feel like Caden’s quote isn’t even addressing the use of media or the ideas of hazing that are discussed in the show. I find it interesting that Caden and Peter were represented like this in an article that was written by other members of CMU faculty.
I am very interested in seeing this production. I don't really know the story of Lord of the Flies and working on this show and seeing it come together has been very interesting. The concept of social media running our lives and broadcasting everything is great for this time and I think will really impact our audiences. But I am also intrigued by the use of live camera work and how that will look on stage because it isn't our normal type of play we see often. I would love to just sit in the lobby afterwards and hear what people say as they leave the theatre. How much of this show will make people think?
During Conservatory Hour the discussion that revolved around 'Lord of the Flies' left me weary. The play set in 1954 is being intertwined into a social media frenzied party in 2015. This idea left we confused.
Now that I am working on the production I am astounded, and left mistaken.
The amount of work that went into this production is incredible.
The media alone, being projected by 2 20,000 lumen projectors is mind boggling. When I first began here at CMU I did not understand media, and it's effects. After seeing this production I am left with the answer. Media, specifically in this production, leaves the audience member shocked and blown away.
The collaboration is this process is evident. Props, scenery, costumes, media, sound, and lights all work tirelessly, and simultaneously to create a SPECTACLE for the audiences eyes to feast on for just under two hours.
Not to mention the immense amount of blood that is just awesome.
I am excited to see how audiences react to this modern retelling of a classic tale.
I think that this adaption of Lord of The Flies will be certainly be one like no other. The ideals of order and rule versus wildness and primal instinct are strong in the play. I think that all aspects of theatre are being brought together to take the piece to the next level. Being on Deck Crew, I have been able to watch all the stages of the performance and it really isn't the same without all of its elements. I especially think that the use of media and camera work help get the atmosphere that the design team was working toward. There are so many elements of this show that will be hard for the audience to forget. That along with the amazing performances by the actors in the play will certainly make for a theatre experience to remember.
I was able to see a performance of Lord of the Flies this past weekend, and I must say that I was very impressed. From a design standpoint, all design elements came together in a powerful way. Almeda Beynon’s sound design worked notably well with the media design, while David Arterberry’s lighting worked hard to set mood and atmosphere inside of a literal “box”-set.
Caden Manson’s direction gave the piece new meaning with his incorporation of contemporary themes in the age of social media. The work felt, in a sense, similar to how a dystopian piece would: a warning of an inescapable future. The ‘dystopia’ presented by the work, however, is essentially the very near future, if not the present. Golding did not present so much of a future time as he did a human ‘mode’ of living, something he felt was laying underneath society. Mason adapts this central theme well, giving the work piercing relevance to contemporary society and the seemingly increasing violence.
I was especially impressed with the use of live video in the production. I am often skeptical of incorporating live video onstage, and I must say this production used it as a tool very effectively. Towards the beginning of the play, the cameras act both as a subjective view (you are not in control of what the camera is filming) while also as a closer-look (or even offering views unavailable to audience members from their seats). Both the cameras and mirrors allowed the audience to see action behind walls, bringing you closer to the actors as real people, in addition to their characters. As the world of the play falls apart the cameras begin to lose connection, eventually being fully removed. This return to the “norm” was thus amplified, leaving me feeling as though I had developed a sort of dependence on the cameras, which made me aware of the influence of this altered or edited view. In this way, the media was just one component of Mason’s presentational angle for the production; an angle which allowed the production to function as a wake-up call, as a truly dystopian work would. Rather than a future dystopia, however, the story on the island is a parallel to what is becoming a concerning reality.
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