I sit to write these words less than one month from presenting to you my next directorial effort, “Dancing at Lughnasa” with the Sheridan College Theater Department. In my previous directing efforts, I usually refer to this as the downhill slide. Not so much for the ease with which the last four weeks of rehearsal comes (quite the opposite, really), but more as a metaphor of the inevitability of the looming performance. So many wheels have been set in motion that it’s far too late to turn back now. Each cog in this machine works with fervor that gains impetus daily, all bent on bringing you, the Sheridan public, an unforgettable show. So, here we are: the downhill slide. Honestly, I prefer that metaphor over “the point of no return.”
With this installment, I mean to proffer a list of expectations that I have for you regarding this production. These are not unreasonable by any means. In fact, it might just give you a greater appreciation for a show that may be more familiar that you might realize.
First of all, pronunciation. The word “Lughnasa,” is specified by playwright Brian Friel to be pronounced, “LOO-nuh-suh,” named so after the ancient Celtic god of the harvest, Lugh. So please, do not mispronounce it as “lasagna” or “linguini” or “lunacy,” despite your inclinations otherwise. The play is named such as a nod to Irish cultural identity, as well as an examination of late summer, and its significance in the calendar. If nothing else, you can at least now practice saying “Lughnasa,” so that when bringing it up in discussion (or buying tickets), you can impress your friends and family.
Next expectation: this play will be presented in the Mars Theater “in the round,” meaning that the audience will be seated entirely around the action onstage. One of the best uses of a black box theatre is the exploration of how the audience will receive a play. Last year at this time, I was preparing my experiment of presenting an adaptation of “Twelve Angry Men” on the stage at the high school, also “in the round.” The reviews were beyond encouraging, many citing how the seating arrangement put them so much closer to the action, as opposed to the delineation and division of the audience from the action, as we are generally accustomed to with traditional productions in a proscenium space. A play “in the round” does not explicitly demand an interactive performance with the audience. But, what you as audience members can expect is that your connection to the play might be much greater, as your experience will be much more intimate than a show that is hidden from you behind a curtain.
That being said, you can also expect that, if you intend to buy tickets, you should do so as soon as possible, as seating will be limited. At this time, the play will only allow for around 80 seats per performance. Also at this time, we only have four scheduled performances, and while there is currently a brief discussion happening about extending the run, don’t let this opportunity slip through your fingers.
Finally - and a perfect opportunity for a segue - the play deals with the long-term effects of potential missed opportunities. Set against the backdrop of the spread of the Industrial Revolution through 1930s Northern Ireland, the play deals with five women (and the men who love them) facing this change. Such stark contrast forces them all to consider how they manage change (or not), how and why they’ve chosen a life of such secluded provinciality, and the consequence of what this change might mean. More than anything, though, I believe the theme of this play could be explained in something of a metaphor: a young lady staring at her empty dance card, which she erased before she took an opportunity to dance, curious and disappointed about why she never did.
My mother often criticizes me for being somewhat cryptic. Therefore, if you found that last line to be defined as cryptic, I apologize. But, I can’t really tell you everything about the play, can I? I’ve got to have some carrot to dangle.
Finally, I expect you to enjoy the show. I’ve been massively impressed with this cast and crew thus far. I see no reason to expect any differently.
“Dancing at Lughnasa” will run at the Mars Theater November 6-8 at 7:30, with a matinee performance on November 8 at 2:00. Tickets are available at the WYO Theater box office.
I’ll see you at intermission!
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