Mr. Hathaway on this year's musical
Video and interview by Cicely Foley
This year’s musical is a grim one, but that could be due to it’s Grimm origins. The Robber Bridegroom is a fairy tale set in the 18th century in the deep south. The writer, Eudora Welty, based this story on one in Grimm's fairy tales. Jamie Lockhart, the main character, leads a double life. By day he is a gentleman, but by night, he become a bandit of the woods. If you thought that was complicated, it gets worse, he falls in love with a wealthy landowner's daughter, Rosamund. This new found love interest causes the conniving Lockhart to question his moral code.
The original show was part of a genre of theater called storytelling. Storytelling is where one character is telling the story to a group of listeners; it entails creating on the spot. Director Darin Hathaway says this is the most challenging part, “we create every single day, every rehearsal, we don’t know what the blocking may be because we want everyone to collaborate.” This idea is seen in the set, “it is forming sets with our bodies, boxes, different locations. It’s kind of a DIY musical.” While this is the most challenging part, it will make the show, if they can pull it off.
Mr. Darin Hathaway has been a part of the Judge faculty for ten years and has directed many plays and musicals, including Grease, In the Heights, Rent, The Crucible, Metamorphosis, and many, many more. This year, Hathaway chose the musical because of its cult following in musical theatre circles.
“It’s great music,” said Hathaway, “it’s bluegrass music, Americana folk music, and there has been kind of a resurgence of that in popularity.” The music is actually what he is most excited about, “I think it’s just really really fun and I hope people just leave singing the songs or going back to listen to the score because it’s really great, fun music.”
The Robber Bridegroom opens in the Judge Memorial Auditorium at 7:00 on November 9, and runs on November 10, 17, and 18, with a matinee performance on the 7th. Tickets are $5 for students and seniors and $10 for general admission.
Mr. Hathaway says to be prepared to have a good time, but warns, “there are some dark edges too because it’s based on those Grimm fairy tales.” Make sure to come see the music come alive with Mr. Hathaway and the cast of the Robber Bridegroom.
The cast at a recent dress rehearsal. Photo by Alexis DeTemple
