By Tyrek Vice
The Hood College Theater group currently rehearses a brand new theater production titled Picasso at the Lapin Agile.
The show is a comedy by Steve Martin which is directed by Giovanni Kavota, an alumni of Hood College, and produced by Hood professor Joe Brady.
The play features the characters of Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, who meet at a bar called the Lapin Agile in Montmartre, Paris.
The play is set on Oct. 8, 1904 and both men are on the verge of an amazing idea. Einstein is about to publish his special theory of relativity and Picasso is about to paint Les Demoiselles d’ Avignon.
Einstein and Picasso eventually find themselves conversing at the Lapin Agile bar. The pair instigate a long debate about the value of genius and talent while interacting with a host of other characters.
The most important characters of the show are Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso and Charles Dabernow Schmendiman. Schmendiman also stands out in the play towards the end of the play was a character with many comedic stunts.
Hood College Theater chose this specific play because the organization strives to perform only comedies this semester. Originally, the group wanted to present a restoration comedy before choosing Picasso at the Lapin Agile.
“This production will be ready Mid-November the two weekends before thanksgiving; we open that Thursday ,” Brady said.
Brady has been the head faculty member of Hood College Theater for five years and feels excited to begin on his sixth year on campus. Brady, who graduated undergrad from Towson and finished his Master’s degree at Brooklyn College, has worked in numerous comedy and theatrical venues in Baltimore, Chicago and New York.
Hood College Theater holds one main stage production each semester.
Brady directs one and a student or an individual from the community directs the other one.
“We are starting to do more original work and student produced and directed projects” Brady said. Students are encouraged to come out and audition for these shows.
“Auditions will be wide open to anybody on campus” Brady said.
An interesting facet of Hood productions stem from the fact that the Maryland Ensemble Theater and Hood College are strongly connected to help with the college production.
Students hope to involve themselves in building most of the set for Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Students are involved in all Hood College productions.
Students are brought into the school plays through other theater organizations such as Hood Improv Troop and Hood College Student Musical Theater.
Students also get involved in classes such as: Intro to Acting, Improv, and Playwriting.
As the opening date of “Picasso” grows closer, those involved are getting ready to debut the show to the Hood community.
“I am excited and have high hopes for the play,” Brady says.
Be the first to comment