Gospel, divination and dance

Auditions for University Theatre's spring shows begin Monday, Jan. 23

By Kirstie Hettinga
The Collegian

A THEME OF searching and journeying dominates the spring half of the University Theatre season. The season will open with the Portable Dance Troupe, which is already in rehearsal, but interested students still have a chance to be involved in two other shows. Auditions for “The Diviners” and “Gospel at Colonus” begin on Monday.

BRAD MYERS, director of “The Diviners” said the central theme of his show is, “The things that nourish us are also the things that can destroy us, things as simple and basic as water, faith and even community.”

Myers said he is looking for performers who have the ability to make him believe they are the characters of the play and for those who have the technique to communicate the story.

The play’s title, “The Diviners,” is in reference to two kinds of divining, divining as the search for water in a historical period of drought. It also refers to a diviner as someone who brings God.

The variations of divining can be found in the play's primary characters. Buddy Layman is a developmentally disabled boy who has the power to find water.

Buddy’s disability makes him a potentially difficult character to cast.

“I need someone who finds the way he thinks and the simplicity of the way he thinks and play him with honesty and advocacy and without commenting,” Myers said.

The other primary character is a reflection of the second kind of divination. C.C. Showers is a fallen preacher. Myers said he is looking for an actor who can convey the passion of Showers search for faith.

Searching is another theme to the show. Buddy searches for his mother who drowned in the very accident that caused his brain damage.

The community surrounding the Layman family has a parallel sense of searching, according to Myers, “there is this polarization between goodness, wanting to live your life and established religion, there is tension between nature and contraption.”

Myers said he chose the show because he was looking for an actor piece. When he found “The Diviners” in his library of plays he said he knew “it was it.”

Myers said he is interested in actors who show they care about the play and the characters.

Additionally, Myers advises those who audition to, "Make me believe it, find the moments, be specific, be kind of bold.”

THE FINALE of the University Theatre 2005-2006 season will be the musical “Gospel at Colonus” which is based on the final installment of the trilogy of Oedipus Rex. Oedipus has been cast out of the ruined city of Thebes and is looking for a place to settle.

Director Thomas-Whit Ellis said, “Most of the parts are musical, we need people that can sing.” He went on to clarify that people interested in auditioning do not need to have a great deal of experience. “They need to be able to carry a tune, we can make them better singers.”

Ellis also said, “This play is really good for people who have never done a traditional play, because there are a lot of small parts.”

“Gospel at Colonus” is unique because of its musical styling. Ellis said the play is good blend on classical Greek drama and African-American musical styling.

“We’re doing old Greek play with the flavoring of a current day black church,” Ellis said.

He said the style of the play will reach out and grab the audience, making the Greek drama more accessible to today’s viewers.

Ellis said he has an artistic vision for the show that is dependent on the people who audition and who he casts.

“This is a play I’ve been trying to do here for years.” Ellis said he has proposed the show before but other musicals had taken precedent.

Ellis said because there is no other black theatre in Fresno he believes the plays at Fresno State must be in service to the community.

Ellis also said the popularity of gospel comedies makes this a good time to present “Gospel at Colonus.”

He said gospel comedies are often lacking in plot and structure but “the music is off the hook.”

“People have been asking me to do a gospel comedy, this play is the best of both worlds. Euro-centric based with an Afro-centric content.”

Ellis also selected this play because of its large cast. He is looking for community participation and interested students.

“No talented student will go unrewarded.”

Auditions for "Gospel at Colonus" begin Monday, Jan. 23. There will be two preliminary auditions and one callback. Students interested in auditioning for the show should be prepared with a one-minute song. An accompanist will be provided or students may bring their own tape or CD.

THE PORTABLE Dance Troupe’s “Last Resort” actually opens the spring half of the University Theatre season. Artistic Director Ruth Griffin came up with the title “Last Resort” after reading an article in The New York Times about the hit show “Dancing With The Stars” entitled “Dance, A Last Resort.”

“Last Resort” will feature a premiere of Griffin’s latest work based on the seven deadly sins.

The first act will have three dance acts. The first is “Tablas” inspired by Afro-Haitian culture with choreography by Erin Landry. One piece is an abstraction, “Slightly Askew,” choreographed by Melissa Rolnick. Griffin said in the abstract piece “the shape of the movement itself is a communication.” The final piece of the third act is called “Rose to Blue” and is inspired by Picasso, which Griffin said is “about art and about an artist.”

"The Seven Deadly Sins" is a story of person who goes on a journey, which Griffin says is the basis of the original stories of the seven deadly sins. She said her research took her through the stories of souls in Egypt and 4th century Greek Gnosticism.

Kenneth Balint of Fresno State and Crystal Tiscareon and Kara Bithell of Fresno City College worked with Griffin on the piece.

Griffin said as a choreographer, she is deeply invested in is physical theatre which is why she cast Matthew Ragan, an actor/dancer as the central figure of "The Seven Deadly Sins."

Performers for the Portable Dance Troupe have been rehearsing since September.

While the Seven Deadly Sins focuses on a journey, Griffin said there is not necessarily a dominant theme to the entire production.

“In modern dance each work is autonomous,” she said. “I want it to be entertaining and to educate”
When Griffin begins planning the dance pieces she thinks of the audience. “I’m reconnecting you to something, to your imagination, to your freedom, to your ability to inquire, ask questions, to your sense of curiosity, to your full humanity,” she said.

Griffin said she knows what each piece means to her and it is more interesting what means to the members of the audience.

“There is no one meaning to get it, it’s not like walking into the shoe store and finding your size,” she said.

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