Despite having it’s flaws the one act performance of "Icarus" put on by Stage 2 at UMD was very enjoyable. What made the performance so enjoyable was that it was a interesting and familiar story adapted well for the stage, the set was well designed, and the ending was very good because it left the audience in suspense. Even for people who were unfamiliar with the story of Icarus, the play was very easy to follow. The play seemed to come from a story that was not originally meant for the stage but the narration was not too overdone or distracting from the actors. The play had many clever aspects that left an impact on the audience like lines overlapping the narration, the way the Minotaur was killed, and the way they left the audience in suspense at the end, but the most influential aspect was the set. The audience seemed to really like the set design as many people were talking about it after the performance. The set was made up of only three blocks that could be combined to make one large block. Despite being simple the blocks were organized so that it was obvious to the audience where each scene was taking place. In the end the audience was left in suspense as the play didn’t make it obvious that Icarus died, but rather focused on the panic Daedalus felt about losing him. The major issue with the play was the mediocre acting. In serious and sad moments the actors would crack a smile or laugh which caused the audience to snicker or smile as well. This was an issue because it brought the wrong mood to scenes that were meant to be intense. Lines were said very mechanically and unnaturally and the relationships between characters seemed fake and unconvincing, some audience members even voiced this during the production. The production is one that is worth seeing even for those who are unfamiliar with the story. It was a good adaptation and had clever aspects that left an impact on the audience. The acting was mediocre and took away at moments what the scene was intending, but looking past this it was an enjoyable performance that left a lasting impact.
The opening night of Icarus was an absolute hit. It was incredibly emotional for everyone. The majority of the audience was crying by the end.
Although, there were some minor hiccups during the performance. A few off-key notes or a misplaced grip on the Minotaur’s chain were few and far between. However, the actors continued on regardless. For instance, Theseus, played by Cole Nubson, dropped his scabbard after slaying the Minotaur. He nonchalantly picked it off of the ground and ran away with Ariadne, played by Emily Chittenden. The audience barely noticed his folly.
Director Tyler Carlson’s approach to Icarus was extremely intriguing. His goal of using “...simple scenery, simple props, and live improvised music to help tell this story” as described in the program was achieved. The audience was taken back to their childhood from the moment they met the character, Icarus. It was interesting to see this tale portrayed onstage.
The set added much to the story. Its multi-purpose helped the audience follow along from scene to scene. It was intricate, yet completely elementary.
The props, however, were far from simple. Each one was designed specifically and carefully for their purpose. The Minotaur’s head, for example, seemed to be hand-crafted!
The lighting also differentiated the scenery. The audience subtly knew where the setting was due to a minor light cue. The designer, Lexie Cruz, paid much attention to the story and its subsequent scenes.
The use of the actors’ voices between scenes was a nice surprise. Mia Martinez and Alexis Larson’s voices were quite lovely. Jonathan Lotti provided a great contrast to them.
The Storyteller, played by Nick Wright, had incredible diction. His character was a great addition to the play. He was believable due to his demeanor and varying tones.
The director’s take on the Minotaur truly frightened the audience. Nic Reynolds’ portrayal of the creature was very thoughtful. The stomping of his feet alongside his heavy breathing increased his believability.
Ian Wallin did a marvelous job playing the father of Icarus, Daedalus. He performed a wide variety of emotions throughout the play. Within minutes, he went from uncontrollable rage to indescribable love. His depiction of Daedalus added more depth to the character. Daedalus’ motivations became clearer as the story played out.
Overall, Icarus was a success. It was worth the audience’s time. Stage 2 performed this play to the best of their ability!
Note: I tried to put the play in Italics using the codes given on the Review Tips page. They did not work.
Icarus is a story based in Greek times about the character Daedalus growing up as a genius inventor but gets himself into quite the predicament with Minos. The play was well directed and all of the cast were very convincing on becoming their character. There were some errors within the play because Minos (played by Jonathan Lotti) tripped while changing the background and when this happened, Pasiphae (played by Alexis Larson) broke character and laughed at him. This did not stop the performance because the cast let it go because the rest of the audience laughed along with her. Larson quickly then got her act back together and got into character having Ariadne back. The cast for the play were all very convincing to playing their parts. There was so much emotion, body language, and tone of voice that was used to emphasize everything. It was almost as if they left their own identities on hold so that their characters would seem more believable. One moment there was sulking with lots of hugs and breakdowns and then there was anger with fighting and yelling. When it came to the actors using their voice, they spoke clear and loud enough so that everyone in the back row could hear even at parts when the character was supposed to be whispering. One that deserves a lot of credit is Christopher Hoffman for his confidence, courage, and trust in the rest of the cast. Hoffman was jumping up and down the stairs not even thinking about if he wasn’t going to make it up or slip at some point. There was also another scene where Icarus had to fly from the tower and Hoffman had all his cast mates catch him from the top of the stairs and carry him away. Hoffman did not even look the slightest bit worried about being dropped. Another actor that needs to be recognized for his acting using his body and tone of voice is Jonathan Lotti who played King Minos. He may have had that one mistake, but he made up for all of that by playing his character well. King Minos was a character who was very stern and only cared about himself ordering and threatening anyone who did not approve of his decisions. Lotti was not hesitant when it came to get in someone’s face and showing them who is in charge. An example from the showing is when Pasiphae wanted to give Poseidon’s gift when Minos had no intention of doing so. When Pasiphae continued to argue, Lotti got real up and close and raised his voice, screaming at Larson no and what exactly is going to happen. Everyone in the cast of Icarus produced a play that turned out very well. It all around was an interesting story and they brought it to life. The way everyone expressed themselves was interesting and kept the audience more intrigued and was wanting to see what was going to happen next.
Icarus Reviewed by Jessica Citron The Stage 2 Theater Company put on Icarus A One-Act Play over the weekend of September 27th, 2018. Most of the production can be described in one word: small. The cast was only composed of nine people, four of which played multiple parts. In addition to the cast being minimal, the theater itself was small only seating one hundred people and the set was made up of a few boxes that the actors moved around. The play overall was put on quite well, however, the actors playing multiple parts made the story hard to follow. One of the actors, Mia Martinez played three different parts, in one scene she was Dedalus’ Mother and in almost the very next scene she was playing Dedalus’ love interest. The constant uncertainty of who the characters were supposed to be made it hard to follow the story line and caused the audience to be withdrawn from the performance. Another distracting moment in the production was when Theseus, played by Cole Nubson, was trying to wrap string around the walls in order to kill the “man beast”. This moment happens in the original story of Theseus and it makes sense in the original production. However, the way it was done in Stage 2’s production was clunky and made no sense. The actor spent at least a minute and a half wrapping string around other actors arms and connecting them only to have the actor of the man beast come in and not touch the string at all. Not only was it seemingly unnecessarily time consuming to have Theseus wrap the string around the other characters’ arms, it was also useless because the beast never even interacted with the string. One scene, where Icarus and Dedalus are talking, the actor who played Dedalus, Ian Wallin, dropped a piece of paper on the floor. Accidents happen in productions all the time it’s just part of the risk with live theater, however, both of the actors paused and looked at the paper that had just fallen drawing more attention to it. At the end of the scene, Icarus bent over and picked up the paper which was a good move on the actor’s part because it didn’t further distract from the play. The actors were all very believable in their roles and even though most of the actors played multiple characters, they seemed to all fit the characters they played well. Without the distraction of multiple characters and the dropping of the paper, the show was very well put together. None of the actors stumbled over their lines and they all seemed very confident in themselves. In such a small room they weren’t connected to microphones but even in the back row the actors were all able to be heard clearly. The play was a success despite it’s flaws and anyone who is familiar with the story of Icarus should consider seeing this production.
Icarus, a one act play put on by the Stage 2 Theatre Company, was a play that took a known story and spun it into something intimate and unique. The familiar tale was told in a contemporary and creative way that encapsulated the audience. The black box stage used made it very close and personal and that also brought a new aspect to the story and made it very vulnerable.
The story was well told by each character and the characters fit very well to the roles they had. They also made use of minimal props, people, and stage space in a creative way. Although some parts had rather messy transitions, the majority of the play was pulled off in a smooth manner and was entertaining to watch.
The set of the play consisted of three blocks that were moved by the characters themselves. What made the blocks special was the way they moved them. The characters sung during the many transitions they had and that’s what made those fast-paced set changes work. The unique voices of each character was convincing enough to distract people and that made the transitions work well. Mia Martinez, who played multiple roles, had a powerful singing voice and the other members needed to be a bit louder in order to match her.
The prop that stuck out the most was the minotaur head. It was a convincing prop that seemed to be handmade and was actually very well crafted. The head itself mixed with the lighting gave the audience the “scary” feeling that was supposed to rush over people.
The small cast played multiple characters in order to accomplish the story. Ariadne played by Emily Chittenden stuck out with her perfect “girly” voice. She easily fell in love with Icarus and then moments later with Theseus. She was casted very well for that role. Pasiphae played by Alexis Larson, was savage with her comebacks to her husband Minos in the beginning of the play. This was something that drew the crowd in and it was noticeable by the laughter. The storyteller, Nick Wright, was very clear and had a great projecting voice for his role. This character was essential in this fast-paced play due to the fact that he helped minimize confusion.
The culmination of the story was when Daedalus and his son Icarus are trapped in the maze the minotaur once lived in. Daedalus played by Ian Wallin had to devise a plan to get his son and himself out of the maze that held them. Wallin portrayed this witty character the whole time and finally had to use his smarts to save both their lives.
Being locked in his own creation, Daedalus must save himself and his son Icarus, the boy who changed his life. He creates two pairs of wings of wax, feathers, and wood. As Icarus flew away to freedom, he flew to close and the sun melted the wings and he is taken from his father. Daedalus is left heart broken with his son being taken from him. Icarus left in a rather nonchalant way and it could have been more prominent as it was his son dying.
Overall, this fast-paced portrayal of Icarus was worth the forty five minutes of time to gain a new perspective. The group did an excellent job working with the minimal materials and creating a twist to the story many would not expect.
Icarus was a performance produced by Stage2. It’s a Greek story about a boy Icarus and his father, Daedalus. The performance was a total duration of one hour.
It was impressive that even though the stage was very small, they were able to use it to its fullest potential. There were three blocks used during the whole entire performance that could be separated from each other and connected to each other. It was the only prop that the production used to show the environment of where the play was taking place. When the cast of the production were moving the props, there was humming in between and that made it less awkward for the audience to watch because it wasn’t just complete silence.One of the props that could’ve been done better would be the bull mask used for the minotaur. The shape of it was well made, but it definitely wasn’t complete. The tape could still be seen and it wasn’t colored. Despite that, the rest was good.
Various of the actors and actresses had to play more than one role. Even though it was the same actress playing the same role, the way they played the characters so differently made it seem okay and not confusing.
One thing that seemed to make the performance seem more real was how the actor and actress were really into the role they were playing. The way their voice and their body language was used was done very well to make the acting seem more genuine and realistic. When there was a scene where the actor was supposed to be angry, they would shout, yell, or scream. When there was a scene that was supposed to be more emotional and sentimental, they spoke with a softer voice. The way they spoke was a way to express how the character was supposed to feel and that was done very well. The use of body language was also very well done to further express the emotions of the actors. It adds more emphasize to the emotion of the character. For example, there was a lot of hand motions that the characters would use when they talked to help them express a thought or some sort of idea. To conclude, the play overall was good.
The play Icarus, performed by the student group Stage2, is about the Greek mythology story of Daedalus who is a brilliant mathematician and inventor born in and banished from the city Athens to the city of Crete and his son Icarus who was born in the city of Crete. The place where the play was preformed was the black box theater which consisted of a one hundred seat count and a proscenium stage set up. The distance between the audience and the actors was a short distance and since the room was painted black it helped to draw the audience’s attention onto the actors when they performed.
One of the most unique parts of the play was the use of the same three large set pieces to symbolize different scenes. The two movable blocky pieces when put together make a stair case up to the main center cube which stood still the entire play. Seeing how the cast of Icarus were able to move the blocky pieces and make different scenes based on the piece’s location was unique. There were also different uses of props used throughout the play. Some of the items used were a pocket watch, two pairs of handheld feathered wings, and a string on a stick. The props used in the play carried great symbolism along with what is happening and what was to happen in the scene.
The actors’ performance was great as they made the retelling of the story of Daedalus and his son Icarus an exciting adventure to be seen. The actors all played an important role in making the scene livelier and more surreal. With the play having characters that fit the role there was one character that did not quite fit in. The character was the Minotaur, as the Minotaur had a wooden frame of a bull on his head which made the character look out of place. The actor who played the Minotaur attempted to portray the minotaur as a ruthless and bloodthirsty beast but the Minotaur did not give off this feeling, as at some points the Minotaur felt misplaced and awkward. However, the Minotaur did have one scene where it did not feel out of place as that scene was the fight between the Minotaur and Theseus. With this fight there was an intense build up to their fight, which did not disappoint. The Minotaur as a character is difficult to portray as it requires a lot of costume design and work but I endorse their attempting to portray the Minotaur as a character.
Another interesting point that caught my attention was the use of humming, noise, and sounds on set and in between set changes. An example of this would be how they portrayed a character’s jealousy and hatred where you could hear the cast members aside from the ones currently in the spotlight making heartbeat noises, wind sounds, and more. The use of extra sound to express what a character is feeling or even between set changes was a great idea as it added to the story itself to make the story feel livelier.
Overall, Icarus is a light play if you would want to get immersed into the world of Greek mythology and the story of Icarus and Daedalus. The play is definitely worthy of seeing at least once and the storytelling method was a positive difference than a standard play, hopefully we will get another rendition of a Greek mythology for next year, I cannot wait to see what Stage2 will have in store for the next play!
Stage 2 Theatre Company’s production of Icarus was a unique and intriguing rendition of the well known Greek myth. Combined with moving scenery and elaborate props, the cast was able to make the one act play lively and interesting for the audience.
While the cast was small, they played their roles extremely well in order to portray the story of Daedalus. While many of the characters didn’t have much development, the cast members stuck to their roles and were very convincing. An example of this was Johnathan Lotti, who played the mad king Minos. His constant yelling and threats made the audience believe that he was a stubborn, vain, and downright disgusting person, a feat that made his performance all the more convincing. The Storyteller, played by Nick Wright, was essential to the production, as his commentary kept the audience from being lost due to the fast pacing of the play. Even Ariadne played by Emily Chittenden was very meticulous in her portrayal. Everything from her bubbly attitude to her body language seemed carefully rehearsed and made the performance all the more real.
The set consisted of 3 large blocks that could be rearranged and combined in a variety of ways. From platforms and "pillars", to the walls of the Labyrinth, the actors moved these blocks during transitions to fit the role of what was needed, while it was up to the audience to partially imagine what they were trying to accomplish. During these transitions, the cast wisely chose to add music and singing in order to make it feel less awkward as they pushed the blocks around. While it wasn't perfect, with a few times an actor having to go back alone and move a block, the moving set made the production more intriguing and unique to the play.
The props also helped make the show more interesting. The most intricate and well designed being the Minotaur's head. The detailed wooden headpiece combined with the chains wrapped around the actor gave off the creepy and animalistic vibe that the director was going for. Some props were more of a hindrance however, an example being the string that Daedalus gave to Ariande. The scene where Theseus, played by Cole Nubson, unravels the string while journeying through the Labyrinth was robably the worst part of the play, as he was constantly walking over it, pausing to unravel it more, and even had to give parts of it to other actors to hold made the scene clunky, and even made some of the audience laugh during what was supposed to be a serious scene. Overall however, many of the props added to the story and helped push the narrative.
Overall, with tantalizing actors, a unique set, and special and intricate props, the cast of Icarus portrayed the myth of Daedalus in not only an accurate way, but also made the story one that everyone should see!
September 28, Stage 2 theatre company, based out of UMD, preformed Icarus. This one act play was written by Jessica Chipman and directed by Tyler Carlson. The cast consisted of nine actors, four of which played multiple parts. Although with such an intimate show, you can almost count the hundred or so audience members. This show had some minor issues but was very enjoyable.
The storytelling style of Icarus didn’t create an emotional attachment to the characters or story. Still there were moments that left everyone holding their breath or that shocked the crowd. One moment the audience held a collective breath was when Daedalus played by Ian Wallin, and his nephew played by Cole Nubson were talking. Most knew that Nubson’s death was coming. The acting created a suspense that clearly portrayed this. With Nubson at the top of the set, the question was how it would happen. There was this tension throughout the audience as he was pushed and fell… right into the arms of the cast. A collective sigh was felt throughout the crowd. When Ariadne played by Emily Chittenden met Theseus played by Nubson that first kiss was followed by a gasp the whole audience was a part of producing.
The acting wasn’t all emotional, and there were several mistakes. In one scene Wallin, a scroll got caught in his costume and dropped it on the ground. This action seemed deliberate at first but both Wallin and Christopher Hoffmann, who played Icarus, paused to look at it. Once it was time for Wallin to exit, he picked it up and left. It was clean and quick but still distracting. The other big mistake that was noticeable was when the slaves from Athens were being feed to the minotaur. None of the actors were able to grab the chain. Each one smiled to themselves, and the last one reached down and grabbed it pointing out the mistakes made. The reactions of the actors ruined a very sullen, serious moment.
The costuming was simple for the most part but had creative costumes for certain characters. Poseidon’s (played by Nic Reynolds) costume created a powerful appearance that made one person seem like a god. The other costume was that of the minotaur, it looked complex yet was mainly chains and a mask of a bull. The other characters costumes were simple and altered slightly to signify when they changed characters. All the outfits seemed to fit with the story and the simplicity allowed for actions and props to be noticed instead of the costume.
The staging was as much positive as it was negative. It was simple and multipurpose, which allowed the cast to tell the story. The way the cast moved the set occasionally added to the scene. When young Ariadne and Icarus are playing, they move the set pieces fluidly and in character. In most moments they way they moved the set was more distracting then beneficial.
Despite having its share of flaws, Icarus was successful. The time put into producing this performance showed. Icarus was an enjoyable show for everyone, no matter if they had heard the story prior or not.
Stage 2's performance of Icarus had its flaws but overall was a great take on this historic story. It was hard to get emotionally attached to many of the characters, but the play did many things right, the props were very creative and they used the space they were given very well. It was only a one act play so it was harder to really dive deep into the characters. Everything happens very quick like when Daedalus, played by Ian Wallin meets his significant other, they instantaneously fall in love which is hardly believable. A lot of the acting was really well done however. One of the actors that stood out to me was Icarus, played by Christopher Hoffmann, who really played the child well. You could see it in Icarus that he wanted to be recognized by his father. He was very rash and was driven by his emotions. The design of the minatory was done very well. The mask that they used was really well done. A lot of designs were very well thought out. The boxes they used looked very well put together and were very useful. They were able to move them around as the set needed without it being too much of a distraction. Some of the scenes were done very well. The way they had Theseus, played by Cole Nubson, go through the Labyrinth was very creative. They had about 8 actors stand in two rows, while Theseus held twine and threaded through each person and this simulated him going through the different pathways in the Labyrinth. Another scene that was done very well was Icarus getting his wings and flying. They had a prop made to be wings and it was strapped to his back. Icarus was standing on the highest of the three prop sets, he fell off and landed into the arms of the other actors and they carried him around imitating his flight. Then they turned one of the set lights yellow to imitate the sun. Overall the play was very well done. It was harder to get emotionally involved into these characters, but I think that was more to do with it being a one act play. They really made props very well and the had many creative elements in how they used the space they were given.
High above the city of Athens. Perched on top of the acropolis stood two boys peering down at the city of beauty. The architecture for each building great and strong. The smartest man alive stood on top of that building. And down he fell with a sickening thud. The other boy had pushed him in a jealous rage. This was the beginning to the story of Icarus.
With the limited space and such a small set for the play, they made the absolute best out of it. The three odd blocks made the show fun with every configuration. The high tower in Athens at the start to the labyrinth underground in the end. The director and scenic designer did an amazing job with with such simple pieces to make all the different worlds in the story.
The actor who played the sorceress, Alexis Larson, had a lovely singing voice. You could hear her during the transition scenes clearly, but her voice stuck out too much against the other actors. Ian Wallin, who played Dedalus, the main protagonist, was tremendous. He had so much fun with his hair on stage. In times when Dedalus was supposed to be stressed or tired after a long journey, the actor took some of his hair out of the head band. This was a fun and creative aspect of his character. It made him appear physically tired and mentally strained when he was supposed to. It made his character believable up on stage.
Now, the half bull was amazing. The skull, I assume made by Megan Borgerding, the costume designer, was frightening and amazing. The stomping by the actors off stage as the minataure walked provided a great aspect of the character. The prop of the chains were also fun. Hearing them dragging across the floor gave the character another great aspect of fear. The way he was created and portrayed was stunning.
Some of the light cues could’ve been better. During the scene changes, the lights were sometimes too slow. Seeing the actors drop character while moving the set throws you off from the story. When Theseus enters the labyrinth the lights turned red. This specific light cues was nice and set the atmosphere well. The night scenes were fun with the blue lights but I wish the scene could’ve been more dimmed to signal out the stars more.
In the light of all things, this story was well put together in the time allotted. Even though Larson sang very lovely, she was not quite able to fit in with the rest of the actors. Wallin did a marvelous job with his character, making him believable with only a few strands of hair. And the lighting of the play was well done, except for a few light cues that were late. And the half bull was amazing. Overall, despite the flaws the play was a good time.
The play Icarus was a wild ride of suspense and emotion for anyone that was sitting in the audience. Just like in every play, there were several hiccups that distracted from the plot and the overall experience, but the combination of great acting, excellent special effects, and lots of hard work done by the stage 2 cast and production team, really made the play come to life.
The few problems with the acting were mainly during parts of anger and outrage. One particular scene where Daedalus pushed his nephew off of the Acropolis felt unrealistic and forced. It took away from the feeling of involvement and reminded the audience that they are watching a play instead of experiencing ancient Greece. One more small detail that took away from the experience was whenever the Minotaur showed, the way it entered was very intimidating and the chains and headgear were extremely well done, but its roar felt tamed and not as beastly as it could have been.
On the other hand, there were countless parts of the play that effectively captured the audience and pulled them in; such as the part when Daedalus’ wife is taken from him by King Minos. The horror and dread seen in Wallin’s eyes was very real, and very tragic. When Minos was formulating his plan to solve the problem of his starving minotaur, you could see the exact moment when Daedalus and his wife figured out what Minos was planning to do. The expressions on their faces went from worried about Daedalus’ wife’s health, to fear of her being thrown in with the Minotaur and being eaten.
One actor who played his part incredibly well was Jonothan Lotti (Minos). There are tons of things he did that made him seem like a real live king during the time of ancient Greece, but the main thing that he did especially well on was the scene of him arguing with Poseidon. Here, Poseidon lended Minos a bull, of which he expected to be returned, however, Minos liked the bull so much that he decided to keep it for himself which angered Poseidon. During this scene, Lotti’s actions mimicked those of a king perfectly; he kept his head held high and looked down on everyone around him, he carried himself with the confidence of a king, and he argued aggressively with Poseidon, the audience could really see the passion in his eyes.
One part of the production that is especially crucial to Icarus, is the lighting, and it was done perfectly. During scenes where Daedalus or Icarus are looking into the sky to count the stars, the lights slowly transitioned into a very deep blue with a few hints of white to represent the glimmer of the stars and the moon. These types of scenes pulled the audience in close and made them feel like they too were underneath the night sky, looking up at the stars. But that is not the only example of excellent lighting; one particular scene where slaves are being led into the labyrinth to be eaten by the Minotaur was made much more real by the blood red lights that flooded the room and gave the whole audience chills.
Even with it’s flaws, Icarus, by Stage 2 was a wonderful play to see. The actors portrayed their parts as if they were actually living in ancient Greece, and the special effects only added to the reality of it. Overall, the $5 admission fee and the two hours was a fair price to pay to see Icarus.
Icarus, by Jessica Chipman, was a success for Stage 2 Theatre Company at UMD. Director Tyler Carlson, along with the cast members, did a superb job of retelling the centuries old myth through storytelling theatre in the intimate black box environment.
The one-act mainly follows the father of Icarus, Daedalus. Banished from Athens to Crete for killing his nephew, Daedalus offers his vast knowledge and loyalty to King Minos to gain his favor. In doing so, he indirectly creates the Minotaur- a half-man half-bull creature that craves human flesh. Daedalus and Icarus, are later trapped in a labyrinth, created by Daedalus, that was designed for the Minotaur. They escaped with the invention of wings, but Icarus flew too close to the sun and perished.
Jonathon Lotti- who played King Minos- had a particularly challenging role as minimum background information was given to give his character substance while also keeping the one act around an hour run time. Slamming his hands down on set and using a loud, authoritative voice to boss characters around, he displayed the big ego and short temper that is expected amongst a son of Zeus.
Lotti’s wonderful performance would not have been possible without the lovely Alexis Larson, who played his wife- Queen Pasiphae. Her interaction with Minos, in which she attempts to slap him, displayed the intricacies of their relationship in a matter of seconds. Without Larson and Lotti, this one-act would have lost the resounding darkness behind each word.
In contrast to Minos and Pasiphae, Ariadne (played by Emily Chittenden), and Icarus (played by Christopher Hoffmann), showed the wicked heartache of a crush. The chemistry between Chittenden and Hoffman is adorable and beautifully sets up the lustful chemistry that takes place between Chittenden and Cole Nubson- who plays the hero Theseus.
Daedalus, played by Ian Wallin did not quite bring the heat as many of the other actors did. Perhaps Wallin was attempting to embody the stereotype of an engineer- awkward at dealing with social interactions and emotions- but he came across more as a competitive robot then anything else. His interactions with Hoffmann made the father-son relationship seem very forced. Whenever they hugged Hoffmann attempted to pull out of the hug sooner than Wallin clearly wanted too. The natural instinct of a caring hug was just not there.
The simplicity of the stage enhanced the performance tremendously. Focusing attention on the words of the actors instead of fantastical prop pieces helped with the complexity of understanding what was going on during the play.
One prop that stood out in particular was the cow headpiece. Not only did the prop effectively portray the Minotaur, but it cleverly showed Pasiphae’s “costume” to trick the Cretan Bull. However, the meaning behind the “costume” is likely lost to an audience with little knowledge of the mythology as the scene was moved through rather quickly.
Another unique prop was the “water” under Poseidon. Costume designer, Megan Bogerding, did a fantastic job of using a white sheet of cloth to make the movement of water to show Poseidon in water.
The cast of Icarus did an excellent job at telling a looked over sub-story from the famous Greek myth of the Minotaur. The black box theatre provides a unique experience and the limited props shows off serious acting skills. The only recommendation that would strengthen this experience is having prior knowledge about the story.
Attending Stage 2’s production of Icarus illustrated both the talent and passion of those involved in it’s program. The short production, which lasted about an hour, was filled with interesting characters and concise scenes, effectively summarizing the original tale of Icarus.
Story Theatre is a unique art form that Stage 2 managed to execute very well. Relationships aren’t meant to be very deep and yet, while the connections between characters were shallow, it’s still possible to feel the deep emotions of the characters during the individual scenes. Jonathan Lotti’s performance as King Minos was especially emotional. His acting was very reflective of his character as seen through the sheer amount of passion he put into every line he had. Ian Wallin as Daedalus also did an amazing job at showing Daedalus's character development from scene to scene. The only flaw that really stood out concerning the acting were the slight smiles as actors broke character. It caused the audience to take the scene less seriously than it should have been.
While the acting did have a few flaws, the comedic spin that was put on the play offered something a bit extra for the audience who laughed along at the often absurd situations the characters had to go through, such as the birth of a half man-half bull. This spin on an originally serious tale was refreshing and modernized the ideas of the play, making it more relatable to the current time.
The use of props and lighting was also done extremely well. In Story Theatre, few props are used throughout the play and are moved around from scene to scene to be used in different ways. The way Stage 2 used their props was interesting and easy to understand from an audience’s perspective. The transition from each scene was also enhanced by lighting and music from the performers moving the props. When a scene would end, the lights would change from a bright yellow or white, to a darker blue, and the music made often reflected the danger or lightheartedness of the following scene. This was very interesting because it made it more interactive for the audience and gave them something to anticipate, instead of waiting idly for the next scene. The only visible flaw of the transitions between scenes were when one of the crew moving props stumbled or something had to be readjusted several times because it wasn’t placed properly the first time.
Stage 2’s production of Icarus was entertaining and did an excellent job of recreating the original story. Through it’s enthralling acting, comedic spin, and its outstanding transitions it’s easy to see why anyone who attended would have no trouble recommending this play to others.
The Sun Will Never Set on Stage 2’s Icarus Hanna Schmitt
Stage 2 took the audience back to ancient Greece in UMD’s black box, insinuating the creativity of Tyler Carlson’s version of Icarus.
Performing Icarus in a black box gave Stage 2 more freedom to experiment with the stage, and it allowed the audience to feel more connected to the actors. The audience’s proximity to the stage brought an unusual informality that allowed them to relax and enjoy the play which, despite the fact, was still professional.
The low level ceiling lights provided extremely saturated hues. While Theseus was walking through the labyrinth, a red swallowed the stage, instilling fear and warning danger was near. But once the Minotaur was killed, a hint of yellow was added to represent hope while still within the labyrinth’s red haze. Another time dramatic lighting provoked a change in mode was switching from a literal and figurative blue night in The Tower to a warm yellow sun (or light) shining behind the tower in The Sky.
Utilizing Story Theater was a clever idea. Improvised music during scenes added an important layer of depth. For example, the “dums” in The Labyrinth depicted Theseus’ racing heart. Between scenes, the humming gave a more formal air making the Icarus a seamless production—almost like a movie.
Although having “simple props,” the mobility of them allowed Icarus to have multiple sets. Scenes that took place at Ariadne’s balcony had the props staged in a standing “J” shape up left stage, while the blocks were in a wall formation down right stage at Daedalus and Icarus’ home.
Listening to each actor speak one word of the prologue and epilogue, not just the Storyteller and Daedalus, was intriguing and portrayed a sense of community amongst the characters. The chorus role-playing allowed the actors to be comfortable and intune with each other as they performed their singular character, or multiple roles throughout Icarus.
Greek mythological characters typically don’t have a lot of backbone. However, there was a strong father-son relationship between Daedalus, played by Ian Wallin, and Icarus by Christopher Hoffman. The script and plot portrayed such, but Wallin and Hoffman both embodied a father-son mentality when they hugged. Hoffman always buried his face in Wallin’s shoulder and clutched his chiton, while Wallin tucked Hoffman under his chin as though he was protecting him—it was surprising to watch and brought a lot of heart to the play.
The artistic creativity that was initiated by the black box’s openness for interpretation was a great fit for Stage 2’s Icarus.
Icarus is a one-act play written by Jessica Chipman and produced by the Stage 2 Theatre Company at UMD. It is running from September 27th-29th in the Dudley Experimental Theatre. The play follows the widely known Greek myth of Daedalus, a brilliant inventor whose life is filled with loss and sorrow, and who ultimately loses the thing closest to him: his son, Icarus. Despite just a few awkward moments, the cast and crew of Icarus portrayed Daedalus’s story simply and thoughtfully, allowing the underlying morals of balance and bravery to shine. This simplicity could be found in the set, the costumes, and even the size of the cast.
Each member of the Icarus cast contributed wonderfully to the story. With a cast of only nine people, several had to play two or three characters. These character switches were rarely confusing due to both the actor’s ability to portray each character distinctly and subtle costume alterations. The most notable performances were given by Christopher Hoffmann as Icarus and Emily Chittenden as Ariadne. Hoffman’s vibrant Icarus was contagiously energetic and curious. He allowed the audience to grow up with Icarus, drawing them into feeling his consuming love of Daedalus, the thrill and innocence of meeting Ariadne, and the rejection and anger of her choosing someone else. Chittenden’s performance was equally engaging, especially in scenes during which a more serious side of Ariadne was shown, contrasting dramatically to the playfulness and innocence she usually carried. Hoffman and Chittenden had excellent chemistry and worked wonderfully as scene partners. The narrator figure played by Nick Wright is also definitely worthy of mention. Wright was an excellent storyteller, blending seamlessly in and out of focus of the audience as the scene required. His presence demanded attention only when necessary to add to the performance or story, never distracting from other actors, and his authenticity allowed the moments during which attention was on him to contribute a sense of truthfulness and genuineness to the story. Overall, the entire cast of Icarus was enjoyable to watch, and they worked together nicely to create an approachable and engaging production.
Unfortunately, there were a couple moments that immediately distracted from the story. Perhaps the worst of these moments was when Theseus was navigating the labyrinth and using the roll of twine to find his way out again. The thought behind having each cast member hold the string as he “traveled” in the labyrinth and had the string cross and wind all over the place was good, but the execution was awkward and unrefined. Luckily, moments like these were few and far between, and the majority of the show was captivating and refreshing.
The costumes and set design were both pleasingly simplistic, allowing the plot of Icarus to be the main focus of the audience. The costumes designed by Megan Borgerding were modest, white, toga-like outfits, sometimes with a colorful sash to distinguish between characters. The cast appeared clean and coordinated, which is ideal for an ensemble show such as Icarus. Becca Stockhaus’ white building-block set design allowed quick scene changes and easily distinguishable settings, which were as ascetically pleasing as they were functional.
Overall, the cast and crew of Icarus worked together to create a profound and sincere production that truly allowed the audience to immerse themselves in the life and story of Daedalus.
With an easy story to follow UMD’s Stage 2 gave a production worth seeing. They adapted the story Icarus. They executed the story very well. With every great play comes a few flaws, but that didn’t stop the cast’s performance which made it so much better.
Theseus, played by Cole Nubson, gave an outstanding performance. Even though there was a little incident where he dropped his scabbard after slaying the Minotaur. Even with this, he continued on with the performance and the audience barely noticed what happened.
The Director of Icarus took a new route with make it very “simple”. Even though it was a simple take on the story it was very interesting and intriguing. Even though he was going for a simple outlook the props were far from that. They added so much, they were designed to detail for each specific purpose.
The set design was so versatile and multi-purpose. It made the story so much easy to follow for each scene and made the story more fluid.
The subtle lighting was very important. It helped move each scene more smoothly, Lexie Cruz who was the designer, knew what she was doing. She made it easier to pick out the setting of the story with each cue.
The voices of the actors and their differentiation added to this production. With the contrasting voices of Mia Martinez, Alexis Larson, and Jonathan Lotti they brought such nice tones. Nick Wright, the Storyteller brought range and nice tones to the production.
With such a small place they made this production very intimate and unique. It made each character, role, prop, that much more important. They used much creativity and imagination with each detail in the story.
The Minotaur head was amazing. It was so detailed and very well hand crafted and added so much to the production. It was an unforgettable prop and I think the audience would agree that it was amazing and so convincing.
With such a small cast they did an outstanding job. With having to create diversity with the cast having to play multiple roles, they did good at making a distinction with each character.
Overall, it was a successful show. The cast and crew created something so great with so little, which is an amazing sight to see. It makes it more special to see how creative they were. I would recommend seeing this show and also any other production they put on. With seeing what they did here, I’m amazed by their work and can’t wait to see what they do in the future.
Despite having it’s flaws the one act performance of "Icarus" put on by Stage 2 at UMD was very enjoyable. What made the performance so enjoyable was that it was a interesting and familiar story adapted well for the stage, the set was well designed, and the ending was very good because it left the audience in suspense. Even for people who were unfamiliar with the story of Icarus, the play was very easy to follow. The play seemed to come from a story that was not originally meant for the stage but the narration was not too overdone or distracting from the actors. The play had many clever aspects that left an impact on the audience like lines overlapping the narration, the way the Minotaur was killed, and the way they left the audience in suspense at the end, but the most influential aspect was the set. The audience seemed to really like the set design as many people were talking about it after the performance. The set was made up of only three blocks that could be combined to make one large block. Despite being simple the blocks were organized so that it was obvious to the audience where each scene was taking place. In the end the audience was left in suspense as the play didn’t make it obvious that Icarus died, but rather focused on the panic Daedalus felt about losing him.
ReplyDeleteThe major issue with the play was the mediocre acting. In serious and sad moments the actors would crack a smile or laugh which caused the audience to snicker or smile as well. This was an issue because it brought the wrong mood to scenes that were meant to be intense. Lines were said very mechanically and unnaturally and the relationships between characters seemed fake and unconvincing, some audience members even voiced this during the production.
The production is one that is worth seeing even for those who are unfamiliar with the story. It was a good adaptation and had clever aspects that left an impact on the audience. The acting was mediocre and took away at moments what the scene was intending, but looking past this it was an enjoyable performance that left a lasting impact.
A Review of Icarus by Libby Haggerty
ReplyDeleteThe opening night of Icarus was an absolute hit. It was incredibly emotional for everyone. The majority of the audience was crying by the end.
Although, there were some minor hiccups during the performance. A few off-key notes or a misplaced grip on the Minotaur’s chain were few and far between. However, the actors continued on regardless. For instance, Theseus, played by Cole Nubson, dropped his scabbard after slaying the Minotaur. He nonchalantly picked it off of the ground and ran away with Ariadne, played by Emily Chittenden. The audience barely noticed his folly.
Director Tyler Carlson’s approach to Icarus was extremely intriguing. His goal of using “...simple scenery, simple props, and live improvised music to help tell this story” as described in the program was achieved. The audience was taken back to their childhood from the moment they met the character, Icarus. It was interesting to see this tale portrayed onstage.
The set added much to the story. Its multi-purpose helped the audience follow along from scene to scene. It was intricate, yet completely elementary.
The props, however, were far from simple. Each one was designed specifically and carefully for their purpose. The Minotaur’s head, for example, seemed to be hand-crafted!
The lighting also differentiated the scenery. The audience subtly knew where the setting was due to a minor light cue. The designer, Lexie Cruz, paid much attention to the story and its subsequent scenes.
The use of the actors’ voices between scenes was a nice surprise. Mia Martinez and Alexis Larson’s voices were quite lovely. Jonathan Lotti provided a great contrast to them.
The Storyteller, played by Nick Wright, had incredible diction. His character was a great addition to the play. He was believable due to his demeanor and varying tones.
The director’s take on the Minotaur truly frightened the audience. Nic Reynolds’ portrayal of the creature was very thoughtful. The stomping of his feet alongside his heavy breathing increased his believability.
Ian Wallin did a marvelous job playing the father of Icarus, Daedalus. He performed a wide variety of emotions throughout the play. Within minutes, he went from uncontrollable rage to indescribable love. His depiction of Daedalus added more depth to the character. Daedalus’ motivations became clearer as the story played out.
Overall, Icarus was a success. It was worth the audience’s time. Stage 2 performed this play to the best of their ability!
Note: I tried to put the play in Italics using the codes given on the Review Tips page. They did not work.
Icarus is a story based in Greek times about the character Daedalus growing up as a genius inventor but gets himself into quite the predicament with Minos. The play was well directed and all of the cast were very convincing on becoming their character. There were some errors within the play because Minos (played by Jonathan Lotti) tripped while changing the background and when this happened, Pasiphae (played by Alexis Larson) broke character and laughed at him. This did not stop the performance because the cast let it go because the rest of the audience laughed along with her. Larson quickly then got her act back together and got into character having Ariadne back.
ReplyDeleteThe cast for the play were all very convincing to playing their parts. There was so much emotion, body language, and tone of voice that was used to emphasize everything. It was almost as if they left their own identities on hold so that their characters would seem more believable. One moment there was sulking with lots of hugs and breakdowns and then there was anger with fighting and yelling. When it came to the actors using their voice, they spoke clear and loud enough so that everyone in the back row could hear even at parts when the character was supposed to be whispering. One that deserves a lot of credit is Christopher Hoffman for his confidence, courage, and trust in the rest of the cast. Hoffman was jumping up and down the stairs not even thinking about if he wasn’t going to make it up or slip at some point. There was also another scene where Icarus had to fly from the tower and Hoffman had all his cast mates catch him from the top of the stairs and carry him away. Hoffman did not even look the slightest bit worried about being dropped.
Another actor that needs to be recognized for his acting using his body and tone of voice is Jonathan Lotti who played King Minos. He may have had that one mistake, but he made up for all of that by playing his character well. King Minos was a character who was very stern and only cared about himself ordering and threatening anyone who did not approve of his decisions. Lotti was not hesitant when it came to get in someone’s face and showing them who is in charge. An example from the showing is when Pasiphae wanted to give Poseidon’s gift when Minos had no intention of doing so. When Pasiphae continued to argue, Lotti got real up and close and raised his voice, screaming at Larson no and what exactly is going to happen.
Everyone in the cast of Icarus produced a play that turned out very well. It all around was an interesting story and they brought it to life. The way everyone expressed themselves was interesting and kept the audience more intrigued and was wanting to see what was going to happen next.
Brennen St. John
DeleteIcarus Reviewed by Jessica Citron
ReplyDeleteThe Stage 2 Theater Company put on Icarus A One-Act Play over the weekend of September 27th, 2018. Most of the production can be described in one word: small. The cast was only composed of nine people, four of which played multiple parts. In addition to the cast being minimal, the theater itself was small only seating one hundred people and the set was made up of a few boxes that the actors moved around.
The play overall was put on quite well, however, the actors playing multiple parts made the story hard to follow. One of the actors, Mia Martinez played three different parts, in one scene she was Dedalus’ Mother and in almost the very next scene she was playing Dedalus’ love interest. The constant uncertainty of who the characters were supposed to be made it hard to follow the story line and caused the audience to be withdrawn from the performance.
Another distracting moment in the production was when Theseus, played by Cole Nubson, was trying to wrap string around the walls in order to kill the “man beast”. This moment happens in the original story of Theseus and it makes sense in the original production. However, the way it was done in Stage 2’s production was clunky and made no sense. The actor spent at least a minute and a half wrapping string around other actors arms and connecting them only to have the actor of the man beast come in and not touch the string at all. Not only was it seemingly unnecessarily time consuming to have Theseus wrap the string around the other characters’ arms, it was also useless because the beast never even interacted with the string.
One scene, where Icarus and Dedalus are talking, the actor who played Dedalus, Ian Wallin, dropped a piece of paper on the floor. Accidents happen in productions all the time it’s just part of the risk with live theater, however, both of the actors paused and looked at the paper that had just fallen drawing more attention to it. At the end of the scene, Icarus bent over and picked up the paper which was a good move on the actor’s part because it didn’t further distract from the play.
The actors were all very believable in their roles and even though most of the actors played multiple characters, they seemed to all fit the characters they played well. Without the distraction of multiple characters and the dropping of the paper, the show was very well put together. None of the actors stumbled over their lines and they all seemed very confident in themselves. In such a small room they weren’t connected to microphones but even in the back row the actors were all able to be heard clearly. The play was a success despite it’s flaws and anyone who is familiar with the story of Icarus should consider seeing this production.
Review of Icarus by Sara Hildreth
ReplyDeleteIcarus, a one act play put on by the Stage 2 Theatre Company, was a play that took a known story and spun it into something intimate and unique. The familiar tale was told in a contemporary and creative way that encapsulated the audience. The black box stage used made it very close and personal and that also brought a new aspect to the story and made it very vulnerable.
The story was well told by each character and the characters fit very well to the roles they had. They also made use of minimal props, people, and stage space in a creative way. Although some parts had rather messy transitions, the majority of the play was pulled off in a smooth manner and was entertaining to watch.
The set of the play consisted of three blocks that were moved by the characters themselves. What made the blocks special was the way they moved them. The characters sung during the many transitions they had and that’s what made those fast-paced set changes work. The unique voices of each character was convincing enough to distract people and that made the transitions work well. Mia Martinez, who played multiple roles, had a powerful singing voice and the other members needed to be a bit louder in order to match her.
The prop that stuck out the most was the minotaur head. It was a convincing prop that seemed to be handmade and was actually very well crafted. The head itself mixed with the lighting gave the audience the “scary” feeling that was supposed to rush over people.
The small cast played multiple characters in order to accomplish the story. Ariadne played by Emily Chittenden stuck out with her perfect “girly” voice. She easily fell in love with Icarus and then moments later with Theseus. She was casted very well for that role. Pasiphae played by Alexis Larson, was savage with her comebacks to her husband Minos in the beginning of the play. This was something that drew the crowd in and it was noticeable by the laughter. The storyteller, Nick Wright, was very clear and had a great projecting voice for his role. This character was essential in this fast-paced play due to the fact that he helped minimize confusion.
The culmination of the story was when Daedalus and his son Icarus are trapped in the maze the minotaur once lived in. Daedalus played by Ian Wallin had to devise a plan to get his son and himself out of the maze that held them. Wallin portrayed this witty character the whole time and finally had to use his smarts to save both their lives.
Being locked in his own creation, Daedalus must save himself and his son Icarus, the boy who changed his life. He creates two pairs of wings of wax, feathers, and wood. As Icarus flew away to freedom, he flew to close and the sun melted the wings and he is taken from his father. Daedalus is left heart broken with his son being taken from him. Icarus left in a rather nonchalant way and it could have been more prominent as it was his son dying.
Overall, this fast-paced portrayal of Icarus was worth the forty five minutes of time to gain a new perspective. The group did an excellent job working with the minimal materials and creating a twist to the story many would not expect.
Shalane Lee
ReplyDeleteIntro to Theater
Icarus, the Play that Soared Above the Sky
Icarus was a performance produced by Stage2. It’s a Greek story about a boy Icarus and his father, Daedalus. The performance was a total duration of one hour.
It was impressive that even though the stage was very small, they were able to use it to its fullest potential. There were three blocks used during the whole entire performance that could be separated from each other and connected to each other. It was the only prop that the production used to show the environment of where the play was taking place. When the cast of the production were moving the props, there was humming in between and that made it less awkward for the audience to watch because it wasn’t just complete silence.One of the props that could’ve been done better would be the bull mask used for the minotaur. The shape of it was well made, but it definitely wasn’t complete. The tape could still be seen and it wasn’t colored. Despite that, the rest was good.
Various of the actors and actresses had to play more than one role. Even though it was the same actress playing the same role, the way they played the characters so differently made it seem okay and not confusing.
One thing that seemed to make the performance seem more real was how the actor and actress were really into the role they were playing. The way their voice and their body language was used was done very well to make the acting seem more genuine and realistic. When there was a scene where the actor was supposed to be angry, they would shout, yell, or scream. When there was a scene that was supposed to be more emotional and sentimental, they spoke with a softer voice. The way they spoke was a way to express how the character was supposed to feel and that was done very well. The use of body language was also very well done to further express the emotions of the actors. It adds more emphasize to the emotion of the character. For example, there was a lot of hand motions that the characters would use when they talked to help them express a thought or some sort of idea. To conclude, the play overall was good.
Icarus
ReplyDeleteCyril J. Xiong
The play Icarus, performed by the student group Stage2, is about the Greek mythology story of Daedalus who is a brilliant mathematician and inventor born in and banished from the city Athens to the city of Crete and his son Icarus who was born in the city of Crete. The place where the play was preformed was the black box theater which consisted of a one hundred seat count and a proscenium stage set up. The distance between the audience and the actors was a short distance and since the room was painted black it helped to draw the audience’s attention onto the actors when they performed.
One of the most unique parts of the play was the use of the same three large set pieces to symbolize different scenes. The two movable blocky pieces when put together make a stair case up to the main center cube which stood still the entire play. Seeing how the cast of Icarus were able to move the blocky pieces and make different scenes based on the piece’s location was unique. There were also different uses of props used throughout the play. Some of the items used were a pocket watch, two pairs of handheld feathered wings, and a string on a stick. The props used in the play carried great symbolism along with what is happening and what was to happen in the scene.
The actors’ performance was great as they made the retelling of the story of Daedalus and his son Icarus an exciting adventure to be seen. The actors all played an important role in making the scene livelier and more surreal. With the play having characters that fit the role there was one character that did not quite fit in. The character was the Minotaur, as the Minotaur had a wooden frame of a bull on his head which made the character look out of place. The actor who played the Minotaur attempted to portray the minotaur as a ruthless and bloodthirsty beast but the Minotaur did not give off this feeling, as at some points the Minotaur felt misplaced and awkward. However, the Minotaur did have one scene where it did not feel out of place as that scene was the fight between the Minotaur and Theseus. With this fight there was an intense build up to their fight, which did not disappoint. The Minotaur as a character is difficult to portray as it requires a lot of costume design and work but I endorse their attempting to portray the Minotaur as a character.
Another interesting point that caught my attention was the use of humming, noise, and sounds on set and in between set changes. An example of this would be how they portrayed a character’s jealousy and hatred where you could hear the cast members aside from the ones currently in the spotlight making heartbeat noises, wind sounds, and more. The use of extra sound to express what a character is feeling or even between set changes was a great idea as it added to the story itself to make the story feel livelier.
Overall, Icarus is a light play if you would want to get immersed into the world of Greek mythology and the story of Icarus and Daedalus. The play is definitely worthy of seeing at least once and the storytelling method was a positive difference than a standard play, hopefully we will get another rendition of a Greek mythology for next year, I cannot wait to see what Stage2 will have in store for the next play!
Icarus Review by Cameron Fields
ReplyDeleteStage 2 Theatre Company’s production of Icarus was a unique and intriguing rendition of the well known Greek myth. Combined with moving scenery and elaborate props, the cast was able to make the one act play lively and interesting for the audience.
While the cast was small, they played their roles extremely well in order to portray the story of Daedalus. While many of the characters didn’t have much development, the cast members stuck to their roles and were very convincing. An example of this was Johnathan Lotti, who played the mad king Minos. His constant yelling and threats made the audience believe that he was a stubborn, vain, and downright disgusting person, a feat that made his performance all the more convincing. The Storyteller, played by Nick Wright, was essential to the production, as his commentary kept the audience from being lost due to the fast pacing of the play. Even Ariadne played by Emily Chittenden was very meticulous in her portrayal. Everything from her bubbly attitude to her body language seemed carefully rehearsed and made the performance all the more real.
The set consisted of 3 large blocks that could be rearranged and combined in a variety of ways. From platforms and "pillars", to the walls of the Labyrinth, the actors moved these blocks during transitions to fit the role of what was needed, while it was up to the audience to partially imagine what they were trying to accomplish. During these transitions, the cast wisely chose to add music and singing in order to make it feel less awkward as they pushed the blocks around. While it wasn't perfect, with a few times an actor having to go back alone and move a block, the moving set made the production more intriguing and unique to the play.
The props also helped make the show more interesting. The most intricate and well designed being the Minotaur's head. The detailed wooden headpiece combined with the chains wrapped around the actor gave off the creepy and animalistic vibe that the director was going for. Some props were more of a hindrance however, an example being the string that Daedalus gave to Ariande. The scene where Theseus, played by Cole Nubson, unravels the string while journeying through the Labyrinth was robably the worst part of the play, as he was constantly walking over it, pausing to unravel it more, and even had to give parts of it to other actors to hold made the scene clunky, and even made some of the audience laugh during what was supposed to be a serious scene. Overall however, many of the props added to the story and helped push the narrative.
Overall, with tantalizing actors, a unique set, and special and intricate props, the cast of Icarus portrayed the myth of Daedalus in not only an accurate way, but also made the story one that everyone should see!
September 28, Stage 2 theatre company, based out of UMD, preformed Icarus. This one act play was written by Jessica Chipman and directed by Tyler Carlson. The cast consisted of nine actors, four of which played multiple parts. Although with such an intimate show, you can almost count the hundred or so audience members. This show had some minor issues but was very enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteThe storytelling style of Icarus didn’t create an emotional attachment to the characters or story. Still there were moments that left everyone holding their breath or that shocked the crowd. One moment the audience held a collective breath was when Daedalus played by Ian Wallin, and his nephew played by Cole Nubson were talking. Most knew that Nubson’s death was coming. The acting created a suspense that clearly portrayed this. With Nubson at the top of the set, the question was how it would happen. There was this tension throughout the audience as he was pushed and fell… right into the arms of the cast. A collective sigh was felt throughout the crowd. When Ariadne played by Emily Chittenden met Theseus played by Nubson that first kiss was followed by a gasp the whole audience was a part of producing.
The acting wasn’t all emotional, and there were several mistakes. In one scene Wallin, a scroll got caught in his costume and dropped it on the ground. This action seemed deliberate at first but both Wallin and Christopher Hoffmann, who played Icarus, paused to look at it. Once it was time for Wallin to exit, he picked it up and left. It was clean and quick but still distracting. The other big mistake that was noticeable was when the slaves from Athens were being feed to the minotaur. None of the actors were able to grab the chain. Each one smiled to themselves, and the last one reached down and grabbed it pointing out the mistakes made. The reactions of the actors ruined a very sullen, serious moment.
The costuming was simple for the most part but had creative costumes for certain characters. Poseidon’s (played by Nic Reynolds) costume created a powerful appearance that made one person seem like a god. The other costume was that of the minotaur, it looked complex yet was mainly chains and a mask of a bull. The other characters costumes were simple and altered slightly to signify when they changed characters. All the outfits seemed to fit with the story and the simplicity allowed for actions and props to be noticed instead of the costume.
The staging was as much positive as it was negative. It was simple and multipurpose, which allowed the cast to tell the story. The way the cast moved the set occasionally added to the scene. When young Ariadne and Icarus are playing, they move the set pieces fluidly and in character. In most moments they way they moved the set was more distracting then beneficial.
Despite having its share of flaws, Icarus was successful. The time put into producing this performance showed. Icarus was an enjoyable show for everyone, no matter if they had heard the story prior or not.
Ostin Manary
ReplyDeleteStage 2's performance of Icarus had its flaws but overall was a great take on this historic story. It was hard to get emotionally attached to many of the characters, but the play did many things right, the props were very creative and they used the space they were given very well. It was only a one act play so it was harder to really dive deep into the characters. Everything happens very quick like when Daedalus, played by Ian Wallin meets his significant other, they instantaneously fall in love which is hardly believable. A lot of the acting was really well done however. One of the actors that stood out to me was Icarus, played by Christopher Hoffmann, who really played the child well. You could see it in Icarus that he wanted to be recognized by his father. He was very rash and was driven by his emotions. The design of the minatory was done very well. The mask that they used was really well done. A lot of designs were very well thought out. The boxes they used looked very well put together and were very useful. They were able to move them around as the set needed without it being too much of a distraction. Some of the scenes were done very well. The way they had Theseus, played by Cole Nubson, go through the Labyrinth was very creative. They had about 8 actors stand in two rows, while Theseus held twine and threaded through each person and this simulated him going through the different pathways in the Labyrinth. Another scene that was done very well was Icarus getting his wings and flying. They had a prop made to be wings and it was strapped to his back. Icarus was standing on the highest of the three prop sets, he fell off and landed into the arms of the other actors and they carried him around imitating his flight. Then they turned one of the set lights yellow to imitate the sun. Overall the play was very well done. It was harder to get emotionally involved into these characters, but I think that was more to do with it being a one act play. They really made props very well and the had many creative elements in how they used the space they were given.
Icarus
ReplyDeleteAbigail Trenholm
High above the city of Athens. Perched on top of the acropolis stood two boys peering down at the city of beauty. The architecture for each building great and strong. The smartest man alive stood on top of that building. And down he fell with a sickening thud. The other boy had pushed him in a jealous rage. This was the beginning to the story of Icarus.
With the limited space and such a small set for the play, they made the absolute best out of it. The three odd blocks made the show fun with every configuration. The high tower in Athens at the start to the labyrinth underground in the end. The director and scenic designer did an amazing job with with such simple pieces to make all the different worlds in the story.
The actor who played the sorceress, Alexis Larson, had a lovely singing voice. You could hear her during the transition scenes clearly, but her voice stuck out too much against the other actors. Ian Wallin, who played Dedalus, the main protagonist, was tremendous. He had so much fun with his hair on stage. In times when Dedalus was supposed to be stressed or tired after a long journey, the actor took some of his hair out of the head band. This was a fun and creative aspect of his character. It made him appear physically tired and mentally strained when he was supposed to. It made his character believable up on stage.
Now, the half bull was amazing. The skull, I assume made by Megan Borgerding, the costume designer, was frightening and amazing. The stomping by the actors off stage as the minataure walked provided a great aspect of the character. The prop of the chains were also fun. Hearing them dragging across the floor gave the character another great aspect of fear. The way he was created and portrayed was stunning.
Some of the light cues could’ve been better. During the scene changes, the lights were sometimes too slow. Seeing the actors drop character while moving the set throws you off from the story. When Theseus enters the labyrinth the lights turned red. This specific light cues was nice and set the atmosphere well. The night scenes were fun with the blue lights but I wish the scene could’ve been more dimmed to signal out the stars more.
In the light of all things, this story was well put together in the time allotted. Even though Larson sang very lovely, she was not quite able to fit in with the rest of the actors. Wallin did a marvelous job with his character, making him believable with only a few strands of hair. And the lighting of the play was well done, except for a few light cues that were late. And the half bull was amazing. Overall, despite the flaws the play was a good time.
Review of Icarus by Decker Whyle
ReplyDeleteThe play Icarus was a wild ride of suspense and emotion for anyone that was sitting in the audience. Just like in every play, there were several hiccups that distracted from the plot and the overall experience, but the combination of great acting, excellent special effects, and lots of hard work done by the stage 2 cast and production team, really made the play come to life.
The few problems with the acting were mainly during parts of anger and outrage. One particular scene where Daedalus pushed his nephew off of the Acropolis felt unrealistic and forced. It took away from the feeling of involvement and reminded the audience that they are watching a play instead of experiencing ancient Greece. One more small detail that took away from the experience was whenever the Minotaur showed, the way it entered was very intimidating and the chains and headgear were extremely well done, but its roar felt tamed and not as beastly as it could have been.
On the other hand, there were countless parts of the play that effectively captured the audience and pulled them in; such as the part when Daedalus’ wife is taken from him by King Minos. The horror and dread seen in Wallin’s eyes was very real, and very tragic. When Minos was formulating his plan to solve the problem of his starving minotaur, you could see the exact moment when Daedalus and his wife figured out what Minos was planning to do. The expressions on their faces went from worried about Daedalus’ wife’s health, to fear of her being thrown in with the Minotaur and being eaten.
One actor who played his part incredibly well was Jonothan Lotti (Minos). There are tons of things he did that made him seem like a real live king during the time of ancient Greece, but the main thing that he did especially well on was the scene of him arguing with Poseidon. Here, Poseidon lended Minos a bull, of which he expected to be returned, however, Minos liked the bull so much that he decided to keep it for himself which angered Poseidon. During this scene, Lotti’s actions mimicked those of a king perfectly; he kept his head held high and looked down on everyone around him, he carried himself with the confidence of a king, and he argued aggressively with Poseidon, the audience could really see the passion in his eyes.
One part of the production that is especially crucial to Icarus, is the lighting, and it was done perfectly. During scenes where Daedalus or Icarus are looking into the sky to count the stars, the lights slowly transitioned into a very deep blue with a few hints of white to represent the glimmer of the stars and the moon. These types of scenes pulled the audience in close and made them feel like they too were underneath the night sky, looking up at the stars. But that is not the only example of excellent lighting; one particular scene where slaves are being led into the labyrinth to be eaten by the Minotaur was made much more real by the blood red lights that flooded the room and gave the whole audience chills.
Even with it’s flaws, Icarus, by Stage 2 was a wonderful play to see. The actors portrayed their parts as if they were actually living in ancient Greece, and the special effects only added to the reality of it. Overall, the $5 admission fee and the two hours was a fair price to pay to see Icarus.
Review of Icarus
ReplyDeleteBy: Kjersten Jones
Icarus, by Jessica Chipman, was a success for Stage 2 Theatre Company at UMD. Director Tyler Carlson, along with the cast members, did a superb job of retelling the centuries old myth through storytelling theatre in the intimate black box environment.
The one-act mainly follows the father of Icarus, Daedalus. Banished from Athens to Crete for killing his nephew, Daedalus offers his vast knowledge and loyalty to King Minos to gain his favor. In doing so, he indirectly creates the Minotaur- a half-man half-bull creature that craves human flesh. Daedalus and Icarus, are later trapped in a labyrinth, created by Daedalus, that was designed for the Minotaur. They escaped with the invention of wings, but Icarus flew too close to the sun and perished.
Jonathon Lotti- who played King Minos- had a particularly challenging role as minimum background information was given to give his character substance while also keeping the one act around an hour run time. Slamming his hands down on set and using a loud, authoritative voice to boss characters around, he displayed the big ego and short temper that is expected amongst a son of Zeus.
Lotti’s wonderful performance would not have been possible without the lovely Alexis Larson, who played his wife- Queen Pasiphae. Her interaction with Minos, in which she attempts to slap him, displayed the intricacies of their relationship in a matter of seconds. Without Larson and Lotti, this one-act would have lost the resounding darkness behind each word.
In contrast to Minos and Pasiphae, Ariadne (played by Emily Chittenden), and Icarus (played by Christopher Hoffmann), showed the wicked heartache of a crush. The chemistry between Chittenden and Hoffman is adorable and beautifully sets up the lustful chemistry that takes place between Chittenden and Cole Nubson- who plays the hero Theseus.
Daedalus, played by Ian Wallin did not quite bring the heat as many of the other actors did. Perhaps Wallin was attempting to embody the stereotype of an engineer- awkward at dealing with social interactions and emotions- but he came across more as a competitive robot then anything else. His interactions with Hoffmann made the father-son relationship seem very forced. Whenever they hugged Hoffmann attempted to pull out of the hug sooner than Wallin clearly wanted too. The natural instinct of a caring hug was just not there.
The simplicity of the stage enhanced the performance tremendously. Focusing attention on the words of the actors instead of fantastical prop pieces helped with the complexity of understanding what was going on during the play.
One prop that stood out in particular was the cow headpiece. Not only did the prop effectively portray the Minotaur, but it cleverly showed Pasiphae’s “costume” to trick the Cretan Bull. However, the meaning behind the “costume” is likely lost to an audience with little knowledge of the mythology as the scene was moved through rather quickly.
Another unique prop was the “water” under Poseidon. Costume designer, Megan Bogerding, did a fantastic job of using a white sheet of cloth to make the movement of water to show Poseidon in water.
The cast of Icarus did an excellent job at telling a looked over sub-story from the famous Greek myth of the Minotaur. The black box theatre provides a unique experience and the limited props shows off serious acting skills. The only recommendation that would strengthen this experience is having prior knowledge about the story.
Icarus, Comedic Story Theatre
ReplyDeleteMaisie Wingert
Attending Stage 2’s production of Icarus illustrated both the talent and passion of those involved in it’s program. The short production, which lasted about an hour, was filled with interesting characters and concise scenes, effectively summarizing the original tale of Icarus.
Story Theatre is a unique art form that Stage 2 managed to execute very well. Relationships aren’t meant to be very deep and yet, while the connections between characters were shallow, it’s still possible to feel the deep emotions of the characters during the individual scenes. Jonathan Lotti’s performance as King Minos was especially emotional. His acting was very reflective of his character as seen through the sheer amount of passion he put into every line he had. Ian Wallin as Daedalus also did an amazing job at showing Daedalus's character development from scene to scene. The only flaw that really stood out concerning the acting were the slight smiles as actors broke character. It caused the audience to take the scene less seriously than it should have been.
While the acting did have a few flaws, the comedic spin that was put on the play offered something a bit extra for the audience who laughed along at the often absurd situations the characters had to go through, such as the birth of a half man-half bull. This spin on an originally serious tale was refreshing and modernized the ideas of the play, making it more relatable to the current time.
The use of props and lighting was also done extremely well. In Story Theatre, few props are used throughout the play and are moved around from scene to scene to be used in different ways. The way Stage 2 used their props was interesting and easy to understand from an audience’s perspective. The transition from each scene was also enhanced by lighting and music from the performers moving the props. When a scene would end, the lights would change from a bright yellow or white, to a darker blue, and the music made often reflected the danger or lightheartedness of the following scene. This was very interesting because it made it more interactive for the audience and gave them something to anticipate, instead of waiting idly for the next scene. The only visible flaw of the transitions between scenes were when one of the crew moving props stumbled or something had to be readjusted several times because it wasn’t placed properly the first time.
Stage 2’s production of Icarus was entertaining and did an excellent job of recreating the original story. Through it’s enthralling acting, comedic spin, and its outstanding transitions it’s easy to see why anyone who attended would have no trouble recommending this play to others.
The Sun Will Never Set on Stage 2’s Icarus
ReplyDeleteHanna Schmitt
Stage 2 took the audience back to ancient Greece in UMD’s black box, insinuating the creativity of Tyler Carlson’s version of Icarus.
Performing Icarus in a black box gave Stage 2 more freedom to experiment with the stage, and it allowed the audience to feel more connected to the actors. The audience’s proximity to the stage brought an unusual informality that allowed them to relax and enjoy the play which, despite the fact, was still professional.
The low level ceiling lights provided extremely saturated hues. While Theseus was walking through the labyrinth, a red swallowed the stage, instilling fear and warning danger was near. But once the Minotaur was killed, a hint of yellow was added to represent hope while still within the labyrinth’s red haze. Another time dramatic lighting provoked a change in mode was switching from a literal and figurative blue night in The Tower to a warm yellow sun (or light) shining behind the tower in The Sky.
Utilizing Story Theater was a clever idea. Improvised music during scenes added an important layer of depth. For example, the “dums” in The Labyrinth depicted Theseus’ racing heart. Between scenes, the humming gave a more formal air making the Icarus a seamless production—almost like a movie.
Although having “simple props,” the mobility of them allowed Icarus to have multiple sets. Scenes that took place at Ariadne’s balcony had the props staged in a standing “J” shape up left stage, while the blocks were in a wall formation down right stage at Daedalus and Icarus’ home.
Listening to each actor speak one word of the prologue and epilogue, not just the Storyteller and Daedalus, was intriguing and portrayed a sense of community amongst the characters. The chorus role-playing allowed the actors to be comfortable and intune with each other as they performed their singular character, or multiple roles throughout Icarus.
Greek mythological characters typically don’t have a lot of backbone. However, there was a strong father-son relationship between Daedalus, played by Ian Wallin, and Icarus by Christopher Hoffman. The script and plot portrayed such, but Wallin and Hoffman both embodied a father-son mentality when they hugged. Hoffman always buried his face in Wallin’s shoulder and clutched his chiton, while Wallin tucked Hoffman under his chin as though he was protecting him—it was surprising to watch and brought a lot of heart to the play.
The artistic creativity that was initiated by the black box’s openness for interpretation was a great fit for Stage 2’s Icarus.
Review of Icarus by Jessica Wheeler
ReplyDeleteIcarus is a one-act play written by Jessica Chipman and produced by the Stage 2 Theatre Company at UMD. It is running from September 27th-29th in the Dudley Experimental Theatre. The play follows the widely known Greek myth of Daedalus, a brilliant inventor whose life is filled with loss and sorrow, and who ultimately loses the thing closest to him: his son, Icarus.
Despite just a few awkward moments, the cast and crew of Icarus portrayed Daedalus’s story simply and thoughtfully, allowing the underlying morals of balance and bravery to shine. This
simplicity could be found in the set, the costumes, and even the size of the cast.
Each member of the Icarus cast contributed wonderfully to the story. With a cast of only nine people, several had to play two or three characters. These character switches were rarely
confusing due to both the actor’s ability to portray each character distinctly and subtle costume alterations. The most notable performances were given by Christopher Hoffmann as Icarus and Emily Chittenden as Ariadne. Hoffman’s vibrant Icarus was contagiously energetic and curious. He allowed the audience to grow up with Icarus, drawing them into feeling his consuming love
of Daedalus, the thrill and innocence of meeting Ariadne, and the rejection and anger of her choosing someone else. Chittenden’s performance was equally engaging, especially in scenes during which a more serious side of Ariadne was shown, contrasting dramatically to the playfulness and innocence she usually carried. Hoffman and Chittenden had excellent chemistry
and worked wonderfully as scene partners. The narrator figure played by Nick Wright is also definitely worthy of mention. Wright was an excellent storyteller, blending seamlessly in and out of focus of the audience as the scene required. His presence demanded attention only when necessary to add to the performance or story, never distracting from other actors, and his authenticity allowed the moments during which attention was on him to contribute a sense of truthfulness and genuineness to the story. Overall, the entire cast of Icarus was enjoyable to
watch, and they worked together nicely to create an approachable and engaging production.
Unfortunately, there were a couple moments that immediately distracted from the story. Perhaps the worst of these moments was when Theseus was navigating the labyrinth and using the roll of twine to find his way out again. The thought behind having each cast member hold the string as he “traveled” in the labyrinth and had the string cross and wind all over the place was good, but the execution was awkward and unrefined. Luckily, moments like these were few and far between, and the majority of the show was captivating and refreshing.
The costumes and set design were both pleasingly simplistic, allowing the plot of Icarus to be the main focus of the audience. The costumes designed by Megan Borgerding were modest, white, toga-like outfits, sometimes with a colorful sash to distinguish between characters. The cast appeared clean and coordinated, which is ideal for an ensemble show such as Icarus. Becca
Stockhaus’ white building-block set design allowed quick scene changes and easily distinguishable settings, which were as ascetically pleasing as they were functional.
Overall, the cast and crew of Icarus worked together to create a profound and sincere production that truly allowed the audience to immerse themselves in the life and story of
Daedalus.
Icarus Review By: Kennedy Buck
ReplyDeleteWith an easy story to follow UMD’s Stage 2 gave a production worth seeing. They adapted the story Icarus. They executed the story very well. With every great play comes a few flaws, but that didn’t stop the cast’s performance which made it so much better.
Theseus, played by Cole Nubson, gave an outstanding performance. Even though there was a little incident where he dropped his scabbard after slaying the Minotaur. Even with this, he continued on with the performance and the audience barely noticed what happened.
The Director of Icarus took a new route with make it very “simple”. Even though it was a simple take on the story it was very interesting and intriguing. Even though he was going for a simple outlook the props were far from that. They added so much, they were designed to detail for each specific purpose.
The set design was so versatile and multi-purpose. It made the story so much easy to follow for each scene and made the story more fluid.
The subtle lighting was very important. It helped move each scene more smoothly, Lexie Cruz who was the designer, knew what she was doing. She made it easier to pick out the setting of the story with each cue.
The voices of the actors and their differentiation added to this production. With the contrasting voices of Mia Martinez, Alexis Larson, and Jonathan Lotti they brought such nice tones. Nick Wright, the Storyteller brought range and nice tones to the production.
With such a small place they made this production very intimate and unique. It made each character, role, prop, that much more important. They used much creativity and imagination with each detail in the story.
The Minotaur head was amazing. It was so detailed and very well hand crafted and added so much to the production. It was an unforgettable prop and I think the audience would agree that it was amazing and so convincing.
With such a small cast they did an outstanding job. With having to create diversity with the cast having to play multiple roles, they did good at making a distinction with each character.
Overall, it was a successful show. The cast and crew created something so great with so little, which is an amazing sight to see. It makes it more special to see how creative they were. I would recommend seeing this show and also any other production they put on. With seeing what they did here, I’m amazed by their work and can’t wait to see what they do in the future.