Our Town

Posted on September 14, 2001 by The LIDA Project

Sara Casperson & Brian E. Lewis in Our Town (2001). Photo: Eric Weber

Our Town
by Thornton Wilder

Production History
September 14 – October 20, 2001: BINDERY | space :: Denver, CO

The Company
Direction: Brian Freeland
Assistant Direction: kryssi wyckoff martin
Stage Management: Brandy Qualls
Movement / Choreography: Robin Davies
Scenic Design: Brian Freeland
Lighting Design: Brian Billings
Sound Design: Jeremiah Lyman Moore
Costume Design: Carrie Wyatt
Publicity: Melanie Mayner

Ensemble
David C. Riley: Stage Manager
Dane Torbenson: Dr. Gibbs
Nancy Flanagan: Mrs. Gibbs
Brian E. Lewis: George Gibbs
Alexandra Trow: Rebecca Gibbs
Brian Thompson: Mr. Webb
Karen Kargel: Mrs. Webb
Chandler Gibbons: Wally Webb
Sara Casperson: Emily Webb
Dan Mundell:Professor Willard
Kelley Wade: Mrs. Soames
Robin Davies: Constable Warren
Chris Hampton: Si Crowell/Joe Crowell, Jr.
James Christian Villarreal: Howie Newsome
Dell Domnik: Simon Stimson
Thomas O’Connor: Joe Stoddard
Cristofer Lix: Sam Craig
Josh Hicks: Baseball Player
Tamara Bradley: Chorus
Tami Canaday: Chorus
Haley Gibbons: Chorus
Carrie Wyatt: Chorus

Images

Our Town (2001). Photo: Eric Weber

The Merchant of Auschwitz

Posted on April 16, 1999 by The LIDA Project

The Merchant of Auschwitz (1999). Nils Ivan Swanson (L) as Shylock and Jim Miller (R) as Bassanio. Photo Eric Webber.

The Merchant of Auschwitz
adaptation by Brian Freeland based on William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice

A young jewish student, captured in a time of madness, is caught with a copy of The Merchant of Venice. What follows is a debate acted out through the text of one of the most controversial plays of our time.

“In the winter of 1943 I was a member of a company which performed before the SS guards at the extermination camp of Auschwitz. We actors received prodigal hospitality and were waited on by prisoners—long columns of whom we saw with our very eyes. We were greatly astonished at their wearing only striped prison smocks in the middle of winter.”
– Dieter Borsche, German film star

The Third Reich mobilized mass audiences on a scale amounting to a cultural revolution—not so much to expose them to propagandist theatre, as to turn their very presence in the theatre into propaganda.
– Richard Grunberger, Third Reich historian

Production History
April 16 – May 29, 1999 : The LIDA Project Experimental Theatre :: Denver, CO

Awards
Best Experimental Theatre Production, Westword
Best New Play (Brian Freeland), Denver Drama Critics Circle Award Nomination
Best Sound Design (Jeremiah Lyman Moore), Denver Drama Critics Circle Award

Media Coverage
Flesh Wounds, Westword

The Company
Direction: Brian Freeland
Producer: Catherine E. Worster
Dramaturgy: Mary Martin / John Schuttler
Translations: Anne Angyal
Sound Design: Jeremiah Lyman Moore
Scenic Design: Jason Humphrey
Scenic Painting: Anne Angyal
Lighting Design: Brian Freeland
Costume Design: Lisa Mumpton / Catherine E. Worster
Properties Design: Catherine E. Worster
Dialect Coach: Heather Hollingsworth
Fight Choreography: Dane Torbenson

Ensemble
Portia: Tara M.E. Thompson
Bassanio: Jim Miller
Shylock: Nils Ivan Swanson
Antonio: Josh Hartwell
Jessica: Lisa Mumpton
Lorenzo: Paul Cure
Launcelot: Steven Brown
Nerissa: Patty Mintz Figel
Salarino: Sara Casperson
Salanio: Julia Truitt
Translator: Anne Angyal
Hitler Youth: Chris Hale

Daughters of Lot

Posted on April 22, 1996 by The LIDA Project

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

US

Posted on November 17, 1995 by The LIDA Project

Tara M.E. Thompson and Paul Cure in Karen Malpede’s US (1995).

US
by Karen Malpede

Production History
November 17, 1995- January 7, 1996 : The MK-Ultra Theatre :: Denver, CO

The Company
Direction: Brian Freeland
Lighting Design: John Babcock / Jason Hiester
Scenic Design: Brian Freeland
Sound Design: Brian Freeland

Ensemble *
Paul Cure: Tony / The Man Who Came in Through the Window / Michel
Tara M.E. Thompson: Cora / Sylvie / Hannah

* Original casting included John Babcock & Sara Casperson