"American Mosaic" gives new twist to theater

"American Mosaic: Classic Chamber Theatre Tales", an original play by Professor of Theatre Dr. John Hanners, will be presented Oct. 8-18.

The production is not really a play at all, but a compilation of short stories and poems conceived, adapted and arranged by Dr. Hanners. In simpler terms, the entire production, which stars only five actors playing over 30 characters, is his idea and his creation. "American Mosaic" has never been performed before.

"It consists of nine stories, two of which are poems," Dr. Hanners said. "(The content) ranges from East Texas folk tales to the 1930's feminist/humanist Dorothy Parker."

All the content is from North Americans, including literature from the campus. The show includes Kate Chopin, who wrote during the turn of the century and whose work was just rediscovered. The production also incorporates a story from The Mayo Review titled "Woman Who Turned Into a Fish".

The play features the poem "Suzanne," which was written by Canadian-born Leonard Cohen and was later made into an intense story of a song. "Q", a short story, also comes from a Canadian writer.

"(It's) this storytelling nature that we don't see much of anymore," Hanners said.

Hanners created this compilation to introduce audiences to the intimate style of chamber theatre. In traditional theatre, the action appears on the stage, whereas in chamber theatre the actors have a focal point in the audience, Hanners said.

"American Mosaic" has an outgrowth of oral interpretation, or interpretative reading, techniques. The compilation play also includes chamber theatre techniques such as taking the narrator and making him a character, even if it's in first person, Hanners said.

However "American Mosaic" is about more than just style of theatre, it's about breathing life into the stories. The program's appeal to the students involved is the challenge of bringing a story on paper into the real world.

"To me, the play is about bringing good American literary works to life on stage in a different and interesting way," Eugenia Menz-Rademacher, sophomore math major said.

There is a much wider target audience than just university students, but the production is first and foremost intended for students. Many students will probably recognize Kate Chopin from their past classes.

"I think students should definitely come see the show, not just to support their fellow classmates on stage and the playhouse, but to see a great show that a lot of people worked hard on," Kasey Thompson, junior theatre major said.

"American Mosaic" will be submitted into the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival.

According to Menz-Rademacher, the audience does not just sit there and take everything in; they have to think, and it's always good for students to experience new types of art.