Q and A with the Playwright

The Indiana Wesleyan Theatre Guild, with help from the Honors College were able to bring Debra Breevort to tonight’s (Friday the 13^th) showing. Even though this date is normally recognized for its superstition, Emily Tritle was able to celebrate her hard work in success.

 Debra began the session by speaking about her inspiration and the story behind her writing. She said that the story starts in 1998 with her looking for late-night comedy on the Television when she came across Ted Koppel on Nightline who was reporting on the story about Lockerbie.

After her introductions and brief background, the floor was open for a Q and A session.

Would Emily change her directing?

Someone in the audience was curious if Emily, now after hearing Breevorts words and having discussion with her if she would change her direction style at all. Emily said that she’s extremely proud of the way her actors fit the representation she wanted to project.

How did the actors get into the mindset of acting?
            A question towards the actors and actresses were asked regarding how they project such grief and sadness on stage. One actress mentioned how she hadn’t really understood losing someone at the beginning of the play’s production, but throughout the process ended up losing two grandparents. It was important, she stated, to be able to let out some of the mourning and sadness while she was on stage, but needed to keep it under control.

Why did you write characters in such different stages and aspects of grief?

            Deborah was asked why there is such a distinction between characters as they mourn their losses. Deborah states that each character is representing different perspectives of the situation, therefore each character needs to be unique and bring something new to the table. One character witnessed multiple bodies strapped to their seats in her room, another women watched fire fall from the sky as she walked the dog – one man is completely separate from the situation and brings his viewpoint.

Why is this play appealing to younger generations?

            The playwright had a question for the audience: she states that many students in high school and college students. One audience member brought up a very valid point – our generation is growing up in a post-9/11 world. The Women of Lockerbie tells the story of putting our lives back together after tragedy, which makes sense to us.

Closing words for the young and aspiring
            In closing, Deborah wanted the audience to know that everyone has a gift. We are on this Earth to share it and not to take that for granted.

The Playwright...

Did you hear? The Playwright of Women Of Lockerbie, Deborah Brevoort will be attending one of the showings here at Indiana Wesleyan!

Breevort is best known for The Women of Lockerbie, but other works include the following: Poetry of Pizza, The Blue-Sky Boys, The Velvet Weapon and Blue Moon Over Memphis.

Upcoming projects include a hip-hop musical set in Amish Country named Crossing Over and Steal A Pencil for Me, a full length opera about a holocaust 
Survivor based on the book of the same title.

Breevort currently teaches as New York University, Goddard College and Columbia University.

Cast and Crew

As the show draws near (and soon to a close...) here are the students involved in it's production. Everyone has put much of their time and energy here to ensure that the show goes smoothly!

Cast:
Bill Livingston - Cody Konschak
Olive Allison - Emily Wyse*
Woman 1 - Kim Barth
Woman 2 - Rachel Beckner
Madeline Livingston - Rachael Stuckey
George Jones - Gardy Darbouze
Hattie - Kendra Emmett

Crew:
Director - Emily Tritle*
Assistant Director - Phil Herbruck
Stage Manager - Heather Sosbe
Assistant Stage Manager - Tanya Stoltzfus
Assistant Stage Manager - Molly Harrington
Set Designer - Daniel Maloy and Cody Konschak
Light Designer - Daniel Maloy
Lighting Assistant - Adam Fike
Costume Designer - Emily Walker and Emily Hartley
Sound Designer - Devin Hopwood
Sound Assistant - Ben Dobler
Hair/ Makeup Designer - Julie Schaefer and Justine Schaefer
Hair/ Makeup crew - Stage Design 2
Props - Kyle Smith
Media Promotions - Jake Doll
Backstage crew - Les Moore
Front of House - Honey Carr and Katelyn Presnell
Publicity - Kendra Emmett and Katelyn Presnell

Special Thanks:
Dr. Katie Wampler
Dr. Greg Fiebig
Taylor Theatre Dept.
Greg Ferguson

*denotes Senior Project

Production Photos

The Women of Lockerbie opens this week! The first showing to the public opens at 7:30 on Thursday. Tickets are $6.00.

Dr. Greg fiebig attended a rehearsal and took some photos of the production. 

 

Gardy Darbouze (Freshman) plays George Jones. He is seen is this photo interrogating Emily Wyse (Senior) playing Olive Allison.

   

Cody Konschak (Senior) and Rachael Stuckey play Bill and Madeline Livingstone. The images show a strong progression of their relationship throughout the play as the both deal with grief, pain, and suffering from the loss of their son.

Presenting... The Women of Lockerbie.

 

Check out the poster design for the Women of Lockerbie! 
Austin Kesler is currently a Junior Graphic Designer at Indiana Wesleyan University.
He has worked alongside other theater productions before, you may have seen his other poster design for the show, "The Importance of Being Earnest"

Be sure to get your tickets for the last show of the season!
April 12th through the 14th at 7:30 with a special matinee at 2:00 on April 14th.
All tickets are $6.

Check back for the next post with some photographs of the set!

Meet some of the crew!

Putting on The Women of Lockerbie is a huge endeavor. There are so many people involved in different aspects of the play, and everyone has to work together to ensure the shows go smoothly. I wanted to make sure that everyone has his or her thirty-seconds of fame so I decided to go on a super secret guerilla photography spree! Some people had better a reaction than others… but it is theatre, right? You always need to be ready!

  Meet Heather Soesbe. She is the Stage Manager for Lockerbie and runs our tech meeting on Thursdays. 

Say Hellooooo Ben Dobler!  - Ben is working as a sound designer. If you saw the glass menagerie, then you saw his skill as a light designer as well.









Molly Harrington! Molly is an Assistant Stage Manager. She is currently a freshman studying Public Relations.

 This is Emily Wyse. Emily plays Olive in the show as her senior project. You have probably seen Emily around campus on her long board or working at the Globe Theater. She didn't really want her picture taken.

 

If you're wondering what Katelyn Presnell is doing... don't worry! She is dressing up for the midnight showing of The Hunger Games. Katelyn is the Publicity manager for the Black Box.

Finally, Emily Tritle is directing Lockerbie for her senior show. She has put her heart and soul into this show, so be sure to come out and see it!

Check back for more updates, interviews, and guerilla photography of the rest of the cast and crew!

An interview with Emily and Rachael

In The Women of Lockerbie, Rachael Stuckey  (Sophomore) plays Madeline Livingston, a grieving mother who travels to Lockerbie searching for some reminded or item from her son.  I had the opportunity to meet with Rachael and the director of the play, Emily Tritle and observe a character interview.

Emily: After reading the script, can you tell me something about Madeline?

Rachel: I think she is troubled and lost; she is in her own reality. I think she is consumed by her son, holding onto the fact that he may still be alive. How troubled she is-- that's intimidating. Where do I go so I don't cross the line? Figuring out levels of her instead of being completely demented, you know?

Emily: Madeline isn't really alive. She's not dead, obviously, but she isn't really there. …She was written really beautifully.

After discussing other aspects of Madeline, Emily stated that if she were able to be an actress in this show, she would love to play her.  To better understand the character of Madeline, Emily suggests that Rachel does something that Madeline would – ideas include writing a poem or listening to a song.

When asked about one aspect 3of the show she is excited about, Rachel said it was the set design. The black box theatre will be transforming into the hills of Scotland!

 In closing, I asked Emily about what theme or idea she takes away from this show and this is her answer: Death does not have to be hopeless.

Check back for more updates here at iwubackstage.blogspot.com as we get closer to the show!

Read Through!

Meet some of the cast and crew!

      Today was the first read through for The Women of Lockerbie. Reading the script is an emotional experience in of it self, however hearing aloud changes so much. The women of Lockerbie is poetic and beautiful yet horribly tragic at the same time. This cast is perfect for each character, and will only get better as time progresses. Here is a shot of our first meeting!

       Indiana Wesleyan University will close its 2011-2012 season with, “The Women of Lockerbie” written by Deborah Brevoort, and student directed by Emily Tritle.

      This tragic tale tells the story of the 1988 bombing of Pan-Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in a terrorist attack.  Five years later, the remnants and pain of the situation are as present as they once were. Each character of the play faces the pain differently. A mother who lost her son is on the verge of madness, while her husband is worried that he will never see his wife’s pain subside. The Women of Lockerbie are not immune to the pain and terror of the event, either. They are fervently trying to gain access to the belongings and clothes of the passengers who lost their lives to hand off to the families of the deceased.

Written in the form of a Greek Tragedy, The Women of Lockerbie is not a story about hatred and pain. It is a story about overcoming hatred and pain with love.

Showtimes are Thursday – Saturday, April 12^th – 14^th 2012 at 7:30; with a special matinee on Saturday, April 14^th, at 2:00 PM. All seats are $6.

Check back soon for character interviews and more exciting information on the production!