ASC Theatre has horror for Halloween season (10-24-07)
Photo By Kacey Stamats
Halloween is the season for scary, and the Adams State College Theatre Department has horror theater to spook even the hardest critic. The "Grand Guignol," fear, decadence, disease and revenge, opens at 8 p.m. Oct. 30 on the Xperimental Stage in the Theatre Building. The show continues nightly at 8 p.m. through Nov. 3 with a midnight matinee on Halloween night. Tickets are $7 for general admission, $6 for seniors and students, and free to Adams State Associated Students and Faculty. Call 719-587-TIXX for reservations.
A series of four short plays "The Grand Guignol" includes "Tics, or Doing the Deed," written by Rene Berton, and "The Final Kiss," written by Maurice Level, directed by Bothe Kretsinger and "Jack," written by Oscar Metenier, and "The Lighthouse Keepers," written by Paul Autier and Paul Cloquemin, directed by Jared Williams. The two seniors said they were inspired to direct horror theater after discovering "The Grand Guignol" in a theater history class.
The Grand Guignol Theatre, established in 1897 in France, continued to produce plays of dark comedies, the horrors of life, and sex for 65 years. "We ordered a book with ten translated plays," Williams said. "The Grand Guignol inspired contemporary slasher films." He said literally speaking grand guignol translates as the big puppet, but loosely translated mean big rascal.
According to Williams, "Jack" is a very sexy and dangerous drama. "The lighthouse is a serious exploration of disease and fear," he said.
"A typical night at the original Grand Guignol featured horror and sex and horror," Kretsinger said. "We wanted to keep with the tradition. Tics is a sexual farce and Final has been adapted to one of the most famous "Tales of the Crypt" comic books. It is a simple tale of revenge."
The students have worked closely with James Willis, adjunct professor of speech and theater, and the theater department's make-up artist. "The special effects and make-up are really cool. Mr. Willis designed what we pictured," Kretsinger said.
The Theater Program Coordinator Dr. Paul Newman said he believes this is the first horror theatre produced by the department. "As far as straight-up horror, I believe this is the first production at Adams State."
Parental guidance is suggested for the "Grand Guignol." "It is not for the faint of heart," Kretsinger and Williams said.
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