‘Animal Farm’ brings interplay of power to Pavilion Theatre
Student director Alan Liam Estes and a cast of eight University of Maine students will present “Animal Farm” in the Al Cyrus Pavilion Theatre, with opening night set for Friday, Oct. 19.
The first mainstage theatre production of the School of Performing Arts 2018–19 season, Ian Wooldridge’s adaptation of the George Orwell classic will run for seven performances: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19–20 and Oct. 26–27, 2 p.m. Oct. 21 and 28, and 10 a.m. Oct. 25.
Staged in the Pavilion, which was originally constructed to hold livestock, the “barn in a barn” set features real dirt and hay as a way to provide the next level of immersion and lay the groundwork for emotion and reaction between cast and audience. The value of the set lies in how the actors can discover the ways in which the space influences the story, Estes says, with the play being “alive” and evolving to follow the lead of its storytellers.
“Animal Farm is a story about the evolution and de-evolution of power, and the abuse of power,” says Estes. “In this production, we each are capable of immersing the audience in a story that they might not be exposed to regularly. It touches on a lot of current issues that are important in today’s world.”
This is the third play Estes has directed at UMaine, in addition to serving as assistant director for two others.
Tickets are $10 or free with a student MaineCard, and are available online or by calling the box office, 581.1755. To request a reasonable accommodation, contact Birdie Sawyer, 581. 2584, fredrick.sawyer@maine.edu.
The show is co-sponsored by the School of Performing Arts and the Cultural Affairs/Distinguished Lecture Series.