Eighty-Four

Eighty-Four (1997).

Eighty-Four (1997).

Eighty-Four

This tale of the ultimate “Negative Utopia” paints a grim future filled with Double-speak, Telescreens, Thought Police, and the ever watchful eyes of Big Brother. Written in 1948 this adaptation connects Orwell’s warning of the future to the ever changing face of modern technology and current society.

Production History
October 24 – November 29, 1997 : The LIDA Project Theatre :: Denver, CO
January 9 – 31, 1998 : Studio 44 :: Denver, CO

Awards
Best Experimental Theatre Production (1997) – Westword
Top 10 productions of 1997 – The Rocky Mountain News
Best New Play (Brian Freeland) – Denver Drama Critics Circle Award Nomination
Best Direction of a Play (Brian Freeland) – Denver Drama Critics Circle Award Nomination

The Company
Direction: Brian Freeland
Assistant Direction: Nils Ivan Swanson
Stage Management: Tara M.E. Thompson
Lighting / Projection Design: Brian Freeland
Scenic Design: Brian Freeland
Sound Design / Original Music: Jeremiah Lyman Moore
Properties: Brian Houtz

Ensemble
Winston: Guy Williams
Mother / Prostitute: Debra Shirley
Young Winston: Colin Smith
O’Brien: Gregory Ward
Julia: Catherine E. Worster
Syme: Brian E. Lewis
Charrington: John Shupp
Thought Police / Party Worker: Sean C. Vernon
Thought Police / Bartender: Nils Ivan Swanson
Telescreen Voice: Tara M.E. Thompson
Big Brother: Dan Hiester
Activities Director: Kathryn Gray
Emanuel Goldstein: Terry Burnsed

Hamletmachine

Hamletmachine (1997)

Catherine E. Worster and Nils Ivan Swanson in Hamletmachine (1997). Photo by Eric Weber.

Hamletmachine
by Heiner Müller

From the mind of the late Heiner Müller comes this elegantly deconstructed treatment of the Hamlet myth, placed at the fall of Communism and the dawn of the new Millennium.

Production History
April 18 – May 11, 1997 : The LIDA Project Theatre :: Denver, CO

Awards
Best Experimental Theatre Production, Best of Westword 1997

The Company
Direction: Brian Freeland
Lighting Design: Brian Freeland
Sound Design: Brian Freeland
Scenic Design: Brian Freeland
Costume Design: Katharine Guthrie

Ensemble
Paul Cure: Father / Polonius / Hamlet 3
Katharine Guthrie: Horatio
Brian E. Lewis: Laertes / Hamlet 2
Nils Ivan Swanson: Hamlet 1
Tara M.E. Thompson: Gertrude / Lenin
Catherine E. Worster: Ophelia / Marx

 

Kurt Cobain Was Right

Kurt Cobain Was Right (1997).

Nils Ivan Swanson, Dan Hiester, and Cody Alexander. Kurt Cobain Was Right (1997).

Kurt Cobain Was Right
by Don Becker

Mass suicides, dominance and bondage, global disaster, and a murdered cat…

Production History
January 10 – February 16, 1997 : The Acoma Center :: Denver, CO

The Company
Direction: Dan Hiester
Stage Manager: Nils Ivan Swanson
Producer: Brian Freeland
Scenic Design: Dennis Bontems
Sound Design: David Schmitz
Costume Design: Katharine Guthrie
Lighting Design: Dennis Bontems
Publicity: Melanie Mayner

Ensemble
Dan Hiester: Ford Landers /Charles Horse
Mary Gay Sullivan: Mrs. Landers / Nurse
Nils Ivan Swanson: Schaffer / Blake Horse
Holly Wasinger: General /Dakota Horse
Cody Alexander: Mo Gleckman / Mo Horse

Daughters of Lot

Nils Ivan Swanson & Katherine Gutherie. Daughters of Lot (1996)

Nils Ivan Swanson & Katherine Guthrie. Daughters of Lot (1996).

Daughters of Lot
by Brian E. Lewis

And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. And the firstborn said until the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the Earth to come into us after the manner of all Earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he precieved not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the marrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: Let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Thus were both the Daughters of Lot with child by their father.
– Book of Genesis, Chapter 19, 30-37

Production History
April 22 – 28, 1996 : The MK-Ultra Theatre :: Denver, CO
August 1 – 24, 1996 : Jack’s Theatre :: Denver, CO
August 13 – 23, 1997 : La Tea :: New York City, NY
September 5 – October 5, 1997 : The LIDA Project Theatre :: Denver, CO

The Company (April 1996)
Direction: Brian Freeland
Assistant Direction: Brian E. Lewis
Scenic Design: Brian Freeland / Brian E. Lewis
Original Music: Paul Cure
Sound Design: Brian Freeland
Costume Design: Katharine Guthrie

Ensemble (April 1996)
Joshua: Nils Ivan Swanson
Martha: Rebeque Destro
Mary: Katharine Guthrie
Mute: Sara Casperson
Damon: Brian Freeland

The Company (August 1996)
Direction: Brian Freeland
Assistant Direction: Brian E. Lewis
Scenic Design: Brian Freeland / Brian E. Lewis
Original Music: Paul Cure
Sound Design: Brian Freeland
Lighting Design: Craig Osterberg
Costume Design: Katharine Guthrie

Ensemble
(August 1996)
Joshua: Nils Ivan Swanson
Martha: Katharine Guthrie
Mary: kryssi wyckoff martin
Ruth: Sara Casperson

The Company (August / September 1997)
Direction: Brian Freeland
Assistant Direction: Brian E. Lewis
Scenic Design: Matthew Morgan
Original Music: Paul Cure
Sound Design: Matthew Morgan
Lighting Design: Matthew Morgan
Costume Design: Katharine Guthrie

Ensemble
(August 1997)
Joshua: Nils Ivan Swanson
Martha: Katharine Guthrie
Mary: Tara M.E. Thompson
Ruth: Sara Casperson

Ensemble (September 1997)
Joshua: Nils Ivan Swanson
Martha: Catherine E. Worster
Mary: Tara M.E. Thompson
Ruth: Sara Casperson

Saved

Saved (1996).

(L-R) Gene Gillette, Johnny Stange, Kevin Stephens, Geoffe Kent, & Nikolai Furmansky in Edward Bond’s Saved (1996).

Saved
by Edward Bond

Production History
February 23 – March 23, 1996 : The MK-Ultra Theatre :: Denver, CO

The Company
Direction: Chip Walton
Lighting Design: Jeremy Cole
Costume Design: Jeff Neuman
Dialect Coaching: Ethelyn Friend

Ensemble
Gene Gillette
Emily Newman Walton
Jim Hubbard
David Russell
Geoffe Kent
Nikolai Furmansky
Johnny Stange
Kevin Stephens
Julianna Bellinger
Jana Ross

Awards
Best Direction of a Play (Chip Walton) – Denver Drama Critics Circle Award Nomination
Best Actress in a Play (Emily Walton) – Denver Drama Critics Circle Award Nomination
Best Ensemble – Denver Drama Critics Circle Award Nomination
Best Production – Denver Drama Critics Circle Award Nomination

Media Coverage
London Galling, Westword