College of DuPage College Theater to put on 'Under Milk Wood' Feb. 25 to March 7
College of DuPage College Theater will present "Under Milk Wood" starting Feb. 25 through March 7. Virtual performances are 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays.
Directed by COD Theater Department Chair Connie Canaday Howard, the production is a humorous, poetic and musical account of a spring day in a small Welsh coastal town. The work, developed by poet Dylan Thomas, is an orchestration of voices, sights and sounds that conjure up the dreams and waking hours of the townspeople. Completed just prior to Thomas' untimely death at age 39, "Under Milk Wood" was originally commissioned for radio by the British Broadcasting Corporation.
The production has been auditioned, rehearsed and produced virtually via Zoom. Each actor received a technology and wardrobe package to create a remote studio which included a green screen, microphone, camera and adjustable lighting. With nine actors performing dozens of roles, each actor also received an assortment of props, costumes and wigs.
"Now having had several virtual productions under our belts, coordinating with the designers, director, actors and technical crew is seamless," said MAC Education and Community Engagement Coordinator Janey Sarther. "We are able to avoid the early pitfalls and really start exploring even more innovative ways to create art."
Canaday Howard said that in the midst of the isolation many Americans are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the script has taken on a whole new level of importance.
"There are several things that speak to me in 2021 about the script, including the beauty of the language, the humor and the poignancy of many of the characters," she said. "Perhaps most compelling is watching and hearing these characters, who come from very different points of view and times in their lives, reflect on the past, take stock of the present and plan for the future. These are all things we can particularly identify with since last March."
Tickets are $16 per household. A streaming link will be sent to ticket holders after purchase.
Talk back sessions will take place after the Feb. 25 performance with the production team and after the March 5 performance with the actors and Canaday Howard.
Cast members include Elmeka Elme (Aurora), Jamie Foster (Carol Steam), Luke Hernandez (Wheaton), Elizabeth Nahulak (Wheaton), Kailey Nelson (Carol Stream), Nathan Sojka (Lisle), Nikolai Sorokin (Wheaton), Chris Talia (Carol Steam) and Christina Verges (Brookfield).
Support for College Theater is made possible by a generous gift from the College of DuPage Foundation's Dr. Donald and Helen (Gum) Westlake Fund for Student Productions.
For more information, visit College Theater at College of DuPage at www.atthemac.org/college-theater/.