The East Central University Theatre Department will present “Woyzeck” at 7:30 p.m., April 16-18, at the Chalmers Herman Theatre in the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center.
“Woyzeck,” is written by George Buchner around 1833 and translated and adapted by Nicolas Rudall in the version being performed at ECU. It is a story about an army barber, Woyzeck, and his common-law wife, Marie. Woyzeck has been augmenting his army income by signing up for scientific experiments with a local doctor and has been placed on a diet of peas.
During the course of the play, the audience will witness Woyzeck’s downward spiral into schizophrenic paranoia and jealousy. In the end, he stabs his wife and is, in turn, executed by the townspeople. Buchner actually hadn’t finished the play before his early death, but did complete over 20 scenes which various directors, translators and editors have since arranged and rearranged.
Though many historians have tried to explain the place of this play in the romantic movement of the 19th century, the play stands apart as unique among its contemporaries. It was turned into an opera by Austrian composer Alban Berg between 1914 and 1924 and first performed in 1925. It was also turned into a ballet by Christian Spuck, which speaks speaks to the power and universality of the story.
The ECU production, directed by Dr. Richard Groetzinger and stage-managed by student Keegan Buckaloo, has been updated to the present day and consists of 27 scenes, some very short and others longer. Dr. Ben Finley is contributing original music to the production.
The cast list includes: Jeremiah Wiley as Woyzeck, Annette Lorraine Wright as Marie, Benjamin Paul Eckert as Andres, Roland Abuntori as the Drum Major, Homer resident Shan Scroggins as the Captain, JamieLee Beuchat as the Doctor, Devin Freeman as the Showman, Ada resident Sam Baker as the Sergeant, Weston Soden as the First Journeyman, Fayth Heflin as
Margaret, Sarah Snow as the Grandmother, Jamie Aupperle as the Child, Bessie-Mei Soh as the Pawnbroker and Bearded Lady and Ashleigh Harrell, Rachel Scroggins and Hannah Scroggins as the Townspeople.
Warning: this play contains explicit language.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $9 for senior citizens and non-ECU students. ECU alumni receive a $1 discount. Admission is free to all ECU students, faculty and staff with ECU identification.