First CUA Drama Show Opens this Weekend!
By Daniela Sol
This weekend, the Catholic University’s first drama production will take place in its very own Hartke Theatre! The Department of Drama has put together Lynda Radley’s play Futureproof. It is to be directed by Carl Randolph, a third-year MFA directing candidate here at Catholic.
As a Scotland native, Radley has enchanted many with her script. The Herald described the story as “lovingly human” and described her writing as “outstanding… Radley writes with style, humour and a flourish of poetic passion.”
As the poet Charles Baudelaire once said, “strangeness is a necessary ingredient in beauty,” Radley’s play impersonates and brings to life the French poet’s thought in an amusing multiple character play. Futureproof is a story about a “freak show” struggling to keep its unusual business afloat. This is the story of a circus, in every sense of the word, that is struggling with the misconceptions created by religion and science at the time with regards to circus freaks. The owner of the auditorium, Robert Riley, struggles with the pressure to keep his business afloat and ponders over big decisions that will change the lives of all his cast members. As the public starts to develop a new moral standard for the personas in the show, the manager decides to conduct changes that will forever change his cast.
The director, Carl Randolph, is an award winning makeup and effect artist. He’s styled plays such as the famous Jungle Book which won an award as best makeup in New Jersey. With these skills mastered by the artist, it will be interesting to see what he has prepared for the cast of Futureproof. The play full of beautifully strange characters, like a bearded woman, Siamese twins, and the world’s most obese man, has given Randolph the opportunity to show his skill set in a fairly interesting way. After all, these characters and their unique features, which must be added by wardrobe and makeup, are extremely important for the play’s development.
The first performance was held Thursday, October 5th, but there will be additional performances each day all throughout the weekend. The last show will be held this Sunday, October 8th at 7:30 PM. The show is open to the public. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for senior citizens, $10 for CUA alumni, staff, and faculty and $5 for Catholic students.
Do not miss a night full of whimsical characters and a plot that will make you examine over the subjects of morality, physical appearance and consciousness. Additionally, enjoy Radley’s groundbreaking script put together by CUA talent.
