Ouachita’s Department of Theatre Arts to present Blood Wedding Nov. 1-6
October 16, 2017 - Katie Smith
Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of Theatre Arts will present Blood Wedding by Federico García Lorca on Nov. 1-6 in Verser Theatre. The production opens Wednesday,
Nov. 1, at 8 p.m. Additional performances will be held Nov. 2-4 and 6 at 7:30 p.m.
A matinee performance will be held on Sunday, Nov. 5, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are open
to the public and are $10 each.
Blood Wedding is a tragedy and features two families in a rural town who will be united in marriage.
The play focuses on the wedding day and how characters’ choices influence the events
of the day. As the production progresses, other forces, including nature and fate,
also dictate the characters’ actions.
Lorca included elements of poetry and traditional Spanish culture in the play, including
prominent roles for females.
“This script also has the added component of having non-realistic elements and the
use of heightened language,” said Drew Hampton, assistant professor of theatre arts
and Blood Wedding’s director and sound designer. “Our students, and as an artist myself, will be challenged
by this material, and that excites me.”
“Lorca's Blood Wedding incorporates a lot of poetry and often switches between regular speaking patterns
and poetry,” explained Mattie Alexander, a senior theatre arts and mass communications
double major from Midwest City, Okla., who plays Leonardo’s Wife. “This is also one
of the challenges of the play, but the poetry element will be a very different experience
for audiences. I am excited for the audience to experience that.”
Blood Wedding addresses themes of death, revenge, fate and consequences. These dark tones allow
actors to explore the power of emotion and learn how to convey that to audiences,
Hampton noted. The cast also learned how to leave such powerful emotions on the stage
after performances.
“I hope the audience will take away an experience of witnessing raw emotion on stage,”
Alexander said. “It is very easy for actors to get caught up in projection, articulation
and, in general, just a more presentational type of performance. Drew has directed
us to stay away from this sort of acting and to just allow ourselves to be real characters
on stage so that the audience doesn't feel like they are watching a play. They are
watching something real.”
“To prepare for a show with dark themes you have to be very aware of where you need
to take yourself in order to reach a certain emotion,” said Dylan Blackwood, a sophomore
musical theatre major from Walnut Ridge, Ark., playing Bridegroom. “You should know
your own mind and how far you can take yourself. We have a cool down after every performance
and rehearsal to ensure that our mental state as the performer returns to normal.”
“I hope audiences’ response to the production is that it's well executed, artistically
pleasing and thought-provoking, that we capture the dark themes of the play in the
same elegant, artistic way the script does,” Hampton explained. “Conflict creates
tension and, ideally, some of that tension goes out into the audience, activating their
thoughts and emotions.”
This year, Ouachita’s Department of Theatre Arts is reviving several productions in
celebration of the 50th anniversary of Verser Theatre. Blood Wedding was originally performed during the 1968-69 school year, and a reception for former
cast and crew members from the original show will be held in the lobby of Verser following
the Saturday night performance in honor of the 50th anniversary year.
Blood Wedding opens Wednesday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m. Additional performances will take place Nov. 2-4
and 6 at 7:30 p.m. A matinee performance will take place on Sunday, Nov. 5, at 2:30
p.m. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at www.obu.edu/boxoffice or at the
Jones Performing Arts Center Box Office weekdays from 1-5 p.m. For more information,
contact the box office at (870) 245-5555 during business hours.
By Katie Smith
October 16, 2017
Other cast members include:
- Lauren Terry, a junior musical theatre major from Evansville, Ind., as Bride
- Anna Joie Valdez, a senior musical theatre major from Terrell, Texas, as Mother
- Cody Walls, senior musical theatre major from Van Buren, Ark., as Father of the Bride
- Michael Peré, a senior musical theatre major from Roland, Ark., as Leonardo
- Raleigh Peterson, a sophomore graphic design major from Branson, Mo., as Leonardo’s Mother-in-law
- Nadalie Gill, a senior theatre arts and mass communications double major from Price, Texas, as Beggar Woman (Death)
- Jess Elliff, a junior musical theatre major from Maumelle, Ark., as Moon
- Michaela Finley, a junior musical theatre major from Cedarville, Ark., as Maid
- Graham Garrison, a sophomore musical theatre major from Rowlett, Texas, as First Young Man and Second Woodcutter
- Bradley Moseley, a freshman theatre arts major from Fate, Texas, as Second Young Man and First Woodcutter
- Philip Robinson, a junior musical theatre major from Lewisville, Texas, as First Boy and Third Woodcutter
- Caleb Harris, a freshman musical theatre major from Griffithville, Ark., as Guest 1
- Anna Darr, a senior musical theatre major from Alexander, Ark., as Neighbor and Guest 2
- Rebekah Biles, a senior kinesiology and leisure studies major from Tulsa, Okla., as Guest 3
- Rahlea Zinck, a freshman theatre arts and education double major from Little Rock, Ark., as First Girl
- Olivia Witcher, a senior theatre arts and Spanish double major from Little Rock, Ark., as Second Girl
- Ashton Spence, a sophomore theatre arts and mass communications double major from Marion, Ark., as Third Girl
Lead crew members include:
- Stage manager—Mackenzie Holtzclaw, a junior musical theatre major from North Little Rock, Ark.
- Assistant stage manager—Bawo Asagba, a freshman musical theatre major from Murphy, Texas
- Costume, hair and makeup designer—Christina Johnson, visiting instructor of theatre arts
- Costume assistant designer—Lauren Terry
- Makeup and hair assistant designer—Lizzy Griffin, a senior musical theatre major from Pittsburg, Texas
- Technical director—Tyler Lewis, theatre shop technical director
- Lighting designer—Andrew Martin, a senior theatre arts major from Hot Springs Village, Ark.
- Co-set designer—Eric Phillips, professor of theatre arts
- Co-set designer—Stephan Vaughn, a junior theatre arts major from Hot Springs, Ark.
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