- “Fire makes everything sexier. From now on you should try to include it in as many productions as possible…while we’re more likely to be slaying academic than literal demons this weekend, Beowulf offers a satisfying, if temporary respite, from our quotidian problems. Don’t be afraid to join the battle.” – Charna Albert, Chicago Maroon
- “…utilizing a number of elements, including dance, music, fire, water, as well as elaborate puppets and props, such as six feet long dragon wings that have to be handled by seven actors in unison or more abstract pieces such as umbrellas which must be handled precisely in order to express the trees they symbolize…” – Kelsey Reid, uchicago.edu
“Original [Water. Fire. Puppetry. Dance. Music.] Epic.”
2012’s Beowulf was an entirely unique collaboration between performance RSOs in dance, circus, and theatre culminating in a dazzling performance in Hutch Courtyard that literally set the staging area aflame. Beowulf, adapted and directed by Robert Eric Shoemaker from the original epic poem as well as John Gardner’s Grendel, borrowed from Old English and pop culture references to the Lord of the Rings, utilized the Planets Suite of Holst in combination with an original piano score and original songs, and featured amalgam dance/fight choreography as well as intricate puppetry and active narration storytelling elements to brand the epic with an entirely new face.
Oh, and did we mention the live water and fire effects? Choreography of the three fights involved intense melee with Grendel, water effects such as buckets, whipping towels, sponges, and fountain dancing with Grendel’s Mother, and a stunning combination of live fire spinning by Le Vorris and Vox with a five-performer Dragon puppet.
“Hwaet!” The story of Beowulf begins at the roots, guided from the beginnings of Beowulf’s and Hrothgar’s trouble to the scene of Grendel’s crimes by the Poet, a timeless Shaper forever bound to the glory of the Spear-Danes by her speech. Beowulf battles through monster after monster, finally becoming king himself and recognizing the tragedy of human existence, as well as the final heroism of it. CES’ adaptation of Beowulf is truly one for the books.
- April 25th-28th 2012
- Hutchinson Courtyard, Reynolds Club
Featuring:
- Steffi Carter as Beowulf (Young)
- Scarlett Kim as Beowulf (Old)
- James Brooks as Hrothgar
- Janey Lee as Grendel
- Jessen O’Brien as Grendel’s Mother
- Lucas Williams as Wiglaf
- Sandy Qi as Unferth
- and Lilly Lerer as the Poet
With the talents of fire spinners Jay Feldman and Adam Kratoska
and Eric Strand, Pianist
The Production Team:
- Eric Shoemaker, Adapter and Director
- Patricia Graf, Stage Manager
- Abigail Pershing, Scenic Designer
- Kayla Hammond, Scenic Designer and Technical Director
- Michelle Feng, Costume Designer
- Hazel Court, Costume Designer
- Amy Cockerham, Puppetry Design
- Katie Muenck, Publicity and Marketing Manager
- Alida Miranda-Wolff, Dramaturge
- Sasha Avyazov, Armorer
- Lauren Dunmore, Assistant Director
- Nikita Sachdeva, Assistant Stage Manager
- Isabel Sen, Assistant Publicity and Marketing Manager
- Trevor Ly, Assistant Dramaturge, Assistant Costume Designer, and Man-of-Many-Trades
- and Ivan Pyzow, Original Score
- Find the Beowulf trailer on Youtube!
- Find Beowulf’s page on Facebook!
The Classical Entertainment Society 