The Longwood Theatre department plans on opening their 2011-2012 play season with Sean O'Casey's family drama, "Juno and the Paycock." The play will premiere on September 29 and run through October 2, and again on the weekend of October 6 to 9. The play is set in Ireland in the early 1920s and focuses on the trials and tribulations of a poor Irish family.
Professor of Theatre and director of the show, Gene Muto, summarizes the play as "a struggle of a poor family living in a tenement in Dublin who is caught in the midst of war between the Irish and the British, and a war among the Irish themselves. It is not unlike what we are going though in America today: poverty, economic strife, [and] warfare around the world."
After teaching the play in his Modern Drama classes, selecting the play was an easy task for Muto. He said, "It was something I've always wanted to direct and they [the students] just clamored for me to do it."
Auditions for the production were held on August 24, and according to Stage Manager Shannon Cassano, approximately 70 people showed up in the hopes of gaining a part. Of the 70, fourteen people were chosen. The cast features a mix of students from every class including: five freshmen, two sophomores, one junior, and five seniors. There is also one non-student, volunteer cast member. The cast has been rehearsing for three and a half weeks now, meeting five times a week for three hours.
Rehearsals have not been without some obstacles for the actors and director. Muto said of these challenges, "There's the obvious challenge of the Irish accent. However, the kids are doing just a terrific job. The other challenges are [that] there are so many emotional peaks and valleys and the characters change and turn on a dime. And to get all of these different emotions of the characters across clearly and consistently is very challenging for the actors."
Junior Daniel Ellis, who plays Juno's son, Johnny, said, "My personal challenges come from playing a crippled character. He has a limp, he's been shot in the hip and he's lacking an arm from previous exploits as a soldier. So, that has been challenging. And playing a character with post-traumatic stress disorder [because] he's really jumpy and he's really emotional." Ellis also said that while his character has challenged him as an actor, he has had fun playing the part because it is a chance to play a character he normally would not come across.
Muto hopes that the audience not only enjoys the production, but also takes something away from the experience. He said, "I want the audience to be entertained. I think it's a very entertaining play, but I hope that they see the social and contemporary relevance of the play, the plight of the people…This is a family drama set in the context of war and poverty. I think people should be able to identify with it."
Tickets are $8 for general admission; $6 for Longwood faculty/staff, senior citizens and students from other schools/colleges; and $5 for Longwood students. Box office hours are noon to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Friday and one hour prior to show times. Contact the Box Office (395-2474, boxoffice@longwood.edu) for more information. Come early as there is limited seating available and tickets may sell out fast.
