2008 Woodie Awards
'Figaro's ' creates memorable mark
Camille Gemlo
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: Intermission
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This describes "Figaro's Marriage," which opened last night in the Performing Arts Center and will continue until Nov. 18.
Director Jeffrey Bleam explains why he chose this play.
"I was in a production of it when I was 15-years-old. When I was doing my Ph.D., I did research on it and wrote many papers on it. I was also interested in the use of the costumes in the play."
The play is unique, with an assortment of snazzy and colorful costume choices and dance music to match. "Figaro's Marriage" mixed past and present by having scenes take place in a castle although the audience got the sense they were in a dance club with techno-beat/classical music resonating and flashy lights in the background.
Every time a scene would switch, the cast would start breaking out moves to the music, which made the audience pay more attention to them than the stage hands in back who were switching the set.
"We have a split team member cast of 14 different actors, a seven-member crew, people who help pull the crew and stage together like theater majors and minors, work studies and production class. They build the set and help in the scene shop. There's also the director and two professors," said assistant stage manager Paige Billings.
The play began with Figaro, played by Ben Anderson, measuring dimensions for a room he hoped him and his fiancé Suzanne, played by Krista Larson, could stay in after they were married. Suzanne would have none of it, and as the play continued, it was soon discovered why. The plot has several twists and much scheming going on to make the story more dramatic.
"Figaro's Marriage" deals with the issues of class, gender and sexual politics. When it was first performed in 1784, it was censored and was actually known for being an early indication of the French Revolution. It was later turned into a opera by Mozart.
Anderson said he was feeling both nervous and excited about the play.
"I'm anxious to see how the audience will react," he said.
The play flowed smoothly, but it was obvious all members were getting things ready down to the last detail prior to the play. Because this play is unique in combining French style with modernism, there are many things to keep in mind while figuring out the scenes, language and set.
"It was harder to direct because we were working on more of a comic style and different stylistic approaches. I am also working on many different design aspects of the show and learning new styles myself," Bleam said.
The opening play was a success, without a hint of nervousness in any of the actors. The mixture of past and present, techno dance music and classical songs and the funky array of costumes designed with 18th century taste all came together to make "Figaro's Marriage" an unforgettable show.