Global themes of life, death, fellowship dominate students’ twist on classic medieval drama
Posted on November 1, 2007
Everyone has something they dislike about themselves, according to freshman Macki Weaver. She thinks people need to realize that they have to utilize their time on earth, because in the end it comes down to what they’ve done to help the world.
Weaver represents the human race in Theatre II’s interpretation of “Everyman,” a medieval morality play with an unknown author. Directed by junior Jesika Hayes, the show tells the powerful story of the character Everyman and his quest toward death.
A unique look at the desperation caused by death, “Everyman” leaves audience members thinking. The show opens with God telling Death that he is disappointed with humans and wants them all to present a reckoning before him. When Death tells Everyman that it is time for him to die, Everyman approaches the people and things in his life that are most important to him and begs them to follow him to his death.
Death, played by junior Brittanny Krause, is dressed in a magician’s suit with dark eye makeup set against a pale, white-painted face. Krause’s disturbing look and ability to draw in the audience are comparable to Johnny Depp’s character Willy Wonka in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Hayes decided to set “Everyman” in a circus after reading the play and toying with different ideas.
The rest of the characters are named for their relationship to Everyman, such as Fellowship, Cousin, and Good Deeds. The main conflict in the show is Everyman’s struggle to find someone or something to take to the grave with him.
The production aspects of “Everyman” were all carefully-made decisions that reflect the tragedy of the play. Make-up designer junior Kelly Anglim thought to use bruise makeup on God’s character in order to show the pain he felt. The circus-themed costumes were all shades of black and white, only some with a hint of color.
“God and Everyman are both [dressed] in gray— all other characters are in black and white,” Hayes said. “All the characteristics that they portray represent who God really is, and Everyman was made in his image.”
The cast and crew of the play bonded when the production crew surprised the actors by going to their dorm rooms and announcing which part they would play. Afterward, everyone went to Hayes’ apartment to hang out. Weaver said she had walked in to the audition not expecting anything and was excited to discover she had a leading role.
“My favorite part [of the show] was getting to know myself as an actor and learning to react rather than just act,” Weaver said.
Freshmen Danila Cariello and James Morrissey went to the show to watch their friend Hayley Johnson (who played Knowledge). Both were surprised by the dramatic ending, which Hayes added to the show.
“We put so much symbolism in the show so that people could take away what they wanted,” Hayes said. “[Us] college kids seem to think we’re invincible, and we’re not.”
“Everyman” is showing at 8 p.m. until Nov. 2, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Nov. 3. Tickets are $3.
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