FARMINGTON – The excitement and drama of a traveling circus comes to the Alumni Theater stage at the University of Maine at Farmington as Theatre UMF presents George Brant’s award-winning play, Elephant’s Graveyard March 17-20.
Set in September of 1916, Elephant’s Graveyard tells the true tale of a traveling circus and the tragic event that occurred in a small town in Tennessee when a local man asked to ride Mary, the favored elephant. Brant’s play, built on both historical fact and legend, explores the public’s craving for spectacle and violence as it takes the audience on a journey to the world of the circus.
Critically acclaimed by Columbia City Paper as “a theatrical masterpiece,” Brant’s play is the winner of the 2008 Keene Prize for Literature and 2008 David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award.
Thanks to scenic and lighting design by Dan Brunk and costumes by Beth Dorr, the Alumni Theatre is transformed into the environment of Charlie Sparks and his traveling circus in the theater’s intimate black-box performance space.
Directed by Jayne Decker, UMF instructor and director of Sandy River Players, the drama features an ensemble, all-student cast that come from academic disciplines across the campus. Two live musicians, David Carr on drums and Jonathan Gaither on guitar, add to the richness of the production as they create new, improvised musical compositions in the piedmont blues style for each performance.
“Brant’s period play gives our student performers a remarkable opportunity to learn about history and culture, while sharing their abilities with the audience,” Decker said. “These student actors and performers bring a level of talent and commitment to the stage that make a challenging performance like this possible. It’s wonderful to see so many gifted students who want to participate in theater and the arts and take those accomplishments back into the classroom and out into the world.”
Brant’s plays include “Any Other Name,” “Ashes,” “NOK,” “The Lonesome Hoboes,” “One Hand Clapping,” “Terminal One,” “Tights on a Wire,” “Night of the Mime,” and more. In addition to the Keene Prize for Literature and the David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award from the Kennedy Center, his plays have been awarded a citation of “Best New Play” from the Austin Critics’ Table, the Clauder Competition State Winner, a Playwright’s Center Core Apprentice Workshop, and the Premiere Stages New Plays Festival. Brant received his masters in writing from the University of Texas at Austin.
“Elephant’s Graveyard” contains adult language. The play will be performed 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets for the performance are $6 for adults, $5 for all students and $4 for seniors. Tickets are available at the time of the performance and can be reserved by calling the Theatre UMF box office at 207-778-7465.
Crew:
Director – Jayne Decker of Farmington
Stage Manager – Rebekah Church of Vienna
Costume Design – Elizabeth Dorr of Industry
Make Up Design – Angela Hooper of Albany Township
Set and Lighting Design – Daniel Brunk
Cast:
The Circus
Ringmaster – Zach Fowler of Presque Isle
Trainer – Jared Boghosian of Belgrade
Ballet Girl – Jade Wells of Pittsfield
Tour Manager – Leah Douglass of Westbrook
Strongman – Ryan Verrill of Belgrade
Clown – Aaron Watson of Phippsburg
Drummer – David Carr of Northwood, N.H.
The Town
Hungry Townsperson – Amanda Reynolds-Gregg of Farmington
Marshall – Greg McElvaine of Belgrade
Muddy Townsperson – Brittney Blais of Garland
Preacher – Eric Buckhalter of Palermo
Steam Shovel Operator – Richard Russell of Rumford
Young Townsperson – Sarah Nadeau of New Portland
Guitarist – Jon Gaither
The Railroad
Engineer – Kenny Lamb of Scarborough
Performers of Wondrous Feats
The Mime – Matt Buckley of Gouldsboro
The Zannis – Erich Scheffler of Jefferson
The Zannis – Cathryn Cunningham of Portland
The Singing Carnie – Nick Lorenzen of Ashby, Mass.
Acrobat – Sarah Cropley of Topsham
Acrobat – Olivia Norris of Newburgh
