[NEohioPAL] Measure for Measure, Dec. 6-8, Oberlin College

[Alexander Birnie]

Oberlin College Theater & Dance Program

Presents

 

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S

MEASURE FOR MEASURE

IN OBERLIN COLLEGE'S HALL AUDITORIUM

December 6-8, 2007

 

OBERLIN, OH-"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." - Matthew 7:2

 

The Oberlin College Theater and Dance Program will present William Shakespeare's Measure for Measure in early December in its first feature production of the academic year. Almost four hundred years after his death, Shakespeare continues to reign as one of the most significant playwrights of modern times. Measure for Measure maintains its resonance in today's society in its exploration of morality, corruption, and justice, while contrasting them through the eyes of religion, governance and sexuality. Considered one of Shakespeare's 'problem plays', a label attributed in large part to its uneasily classifiable nature; neither completely comedic, nor completely tragic, the play fuses both humor and seriousness through a series of moral dilemmas. Within the confines of prisons, convents, brothels, and courtrooms of a fictionalized Vienna, Measure for Measure examines the credibility of our personal integrity and the preservation of our moral beliefs by putting them to the greatest test. 

 

Directed by Associate Professor of Theater, Paul Moser, Measure for Measure, will be presented by the Oberlin College Theater and Dance Program at Oberlin College's Hall Auditorium, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, December 6, 7, and 8 at 8PM. Hall Auditorium is located at 67 North Main Street in Oberlin, Ohio and is wheel chair accessible. Parking is free, and hearing enhancement is available.

 

Tickets are General Admission and are $4 for Oberlin Students, $6 for Seniors/Oberlin Staff, $6 for Educators, and $8 for the public. To obtain tickets please contact Central Ticket Service at (440) 775-8169 or 1-800-371-0178, open 12pm - 5pm Monday through Friday. Box Office opens one hour prior to performances. Any further questions and media inquiries can be directed to Hall Publicity at (440) 775-8171.

 

 

Production Notes

The play tells the story of a young nun-to-be, Isabella, who finds herself pleading for her brother Claudio's life before the rigidly moral Duke's deputy, Angelo. The Duke, who relinquishes his power to the seemingly righteous Angelo at the beginning of the play, goes on to disguise himself as a friar in order to covertly observe how the state will function in his absence. Under his reign, the city has fallen into anarchy by a failure to implement the rule of law. Upon taking control of the city, Angelo tries to restore order and imprisons Claudio, who having made his fiancé pregnant before their marriage faces the penalty of death. As Isabella tries to sway Angelo in showing mercy for her brother, she is confronted with Angelo's unsettling feelings of lust for her and an even more unsettling demand that she must submit herself to him in order to free her brother Claudio. "It's a portrait of how society, in terms of morality and justice, swings back and forth on a pendulum and goes to far extremes at times," explains director Paul Moser. "This resonates periodically throughout time, including today as we've been going through a resurgence of fundamentalism." The play delves into the corruption of power as displayed through

Angelo's hypocrisy. In an emotional plea to his sister Isabella, Claudio asks her to abandon her pursuit of the sisterhood and sacrifice her virginity for his life. The Duke, hidden in disguise, = propels the action of the play by plotting in the lives of the other characters.

 

"It's especially interesting to me how, moment to moment in the play, the key figures, Isabella, Angelo and Claudio, try to balance their sense of guilt with their own desires; these are highly complex psychological portraits - there's nothing two dimensional about them," ventures Moser.

The fact that Measure for Measure was listed as a comedy in the first folio has puzzled many critics. "Throughout his career, Shakespeare experimented with traditional notions of genre and form," continues Moser. "After Twelfth Night, he moved away from writing Romantic Comedies; still utilizing many comic elements, the overall dramatic structure of his 'problem plays' is more akin to melodrama, which allowed Shakespeare to more effectively explore moral and theological questions."

 

This production of the play, led by Moser and aided by Associate Professors Michael Grube (set design) and Chris Flaharty (costume design), focuses on a close connection between church and state. Through discussions of sin and punishment, the undercurrents of both moral and legal argumentation throughout the play are very strong, highlighted even more in being offset by the extravagant, sexualized, and lawless society of the pimps and whores. The set uses strong geometric shapes with grids of bars for walls and similarly inspired furniture. Architecturally based on a courtroom, the Ten Commandments are written across the back wall along with the imposing shape of a giant thunderbird and a sword of justice. "The set creates surfaces upon which light can artistically create the required moods of the scenes," describes Grube. "You could obviously do a lot more spectacle, but when you're dealing with Shakespeare, it's about getting the actors downstage so you can see them and they can simply act". The costumes tackle the important differentiation between groups of characters within the play. The members of

the church and state embody very somber, but elegant and chic blacks and greys designed loosely in the style of uniforms. The pimps and whores take on very vibrant and colorful costumes. The last group of characters is described by designer Flaharty as the 'human' group caught within both conflicting worlds. "The group caught in-between centers around both Claudio and Juliet, who have these wonderful human qualities. We are using very simple colors and basic lines for them. Nothing is being hidden from us; intrigue is not part of their nature. They just are who they are."

 

Paul Moser (Director), is an Associate Professor of Theater and Chair of the Theater and Dance Program at OberlinCollege. He joined the faculty in 1990 and has directed such productions as The Cherry Orchard, Tartuffe, Picnic, All'sWell That Ends Well, The Cradle Will Rock, The Wager, The Merchant of Venice, Romeo & Juliet, and Major Barbara. Professionally he has directed at such regional theaters as the Indiana Repertory Theater (where he also served as Associate

Artistic Director), The Phoenix, Portland Stage Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The New Harmony Theater Company, and Theater Virginia. He has written two works for the stage, The Problem with Dinosaurs (1992) and Sanctuary (1995) which he developed with his ensemble, The Black River Theater Company. Mr. Moser majored in Theater Arts and Dramatic Literature at Brown University and received his MFA in Directing from the Yale School of Drama. He is a member of The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

 

Cast

The cast of Oberlin College students features senior Tom Curtin as the Duke, junior Enrico Nassi as Angelo, senior Courtney Merrell as Isabella and junior Derrick Bean as Claudio. In addition, the cast of 24 includes Alex Huntsberger, Emelio Disabato, Matt Castleman, Raphael Sacks, Annika Franklin, Maggie Sczekan, Sarah Degni, Hannah Finn, Trevor Felch, Joel Solow, Tristan Haller, Kevin Carr, Andrew Mooney, Chris Sherwood, Josh Christian, Phillip Waller, Donnie Sheldon, Jessa Dickinson, Ali Scheiderman and Rebecca Balmer.

 

Production Team

In addition to director Paul Moser, the production team for Measure for Measure includes Meg Lindsey (Stage Manager), Michael Grube (Set Design, Production Manager), Chris Flaharty (Costume Design), Jamie Benjamin (Lighting Design), Hunter McCurry (Sound Design), Joe Natt (Technical Director), David Bugher (Asst. Technical Director), Andrew Kaletta (Master Electrician), Robert Katkowsky (Props), Sarah Frank (Asst. Director), Sarah Gasser (Asst. Stage Manager), Alex Birnie and Emily Tinawi (Publicity)

 

 

UPCOMING THEATER AND DANCE EVENTS

Vieux Carré

by Tennessee Williams

Directed by Associate Professor Matthew Wright

February 7-9, 2008

 

Cabaret

by John Kander and Fred Ebb

Directed by Joshua Sobel '09

February 14-16, 2008

 

Old Times

by Harold Pinter

Acting Honors Project

Directed by Associate Professor Paul Moser

March 6-9, 2008

 

Essence

Dance Production

March 14-15, 2008

 

Spring Back

Student Choreographed Dance Production

April 11-12, 2008

 
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