The worlds of science, poetry and human emotion collide in the OU Helmerich School of Drama’s “Arcadia,” which opens Friday at the Weitzenhoffer Theatre.
Written by Sir Tom Stoppard, “Arcadia” moves between an English country estate in 1809 and the present. As two academics attempt to piece together the past, the play explores the limits of human knowledge and the tension between order and chaos.
OU alum Ashley Brooke Monroe is directing the production. Her post-grad credits include “The Glass Menagerie,” an off-Broadway production of “Julius Caesar,” and resident director of the first national touring production of “Hamilton,” which recently played in OKC with another OU alum in the cast.
For Monroe, “Arcadia” presented a different challenge from her previous work.
“There’s more overlap than I would’ve thought initially,” Monroe said. “They’re very different projects. Obviously ‘Hamilton’ is a musical and ‘Arcadia’ is a play, and stylistically and aesthetically, they’re very different.”
Despite those differences, Monroe said the productions have similarities.
“I didn’t really think about it at first because ‘Arcadia’ is British, and obviously ‘Hamilton’ is very American, and they feel like different flavors,” Monroe said. “Then when I realized, they were basically the same time period, I was like ‘yeah, they have so much in common in terms of society and dancing and themes.’”
That historical setting is part of what brings “Arcadia” to life for acting sophomore Luke Peterson, who plays Jellaby, a butler who acts as the eyes and ears of the household.
Peterson said Monroe’s professional experience has shaped the production and her collaborative approach has made an even bigger impact on the cast.
“Her credits include being a resident director of ‘Hamilton,’ which is a mind-blowing experience to get to work with her,” Peterson said. “Her direction and her care for the production has been such a lovely experience as an actor because it’s such a collaborative space.”
The collaboration extends beyond the actors, as Peterson said the production’s costumes, set, makeup and music have helped the cast enter the play’s world.
“The best part for me has been being in a production that has such a scale to it. The costumes are just gorgeous, the set is wonderful … ,” Peterson said.
According to Peterson, the production features a score written specifically for OU’s production.
“Looking around and seeing all the costumes and the makeup and the gravity of it really sets in of like ‘oh my goodness, I’m in this world,’” Peterson said. “Not only am I an actor stepping into this character, but I'm stepping into the world of ‘Arcadia.’ I feel like I’m in 1809.”
While the production has brought the cast together, the material itself has presented one of its biggest challenges.
“This show deals with topics like chaos theory and lots of math, lots of talking about the universe, how the universe works,” Peterson said. “That's not like something that I interact with on a daily basis as an acting major.”
Monroe faced a similar challenge.
“As a director, I feel like I have to have a really strong command of the material …” Monroe said. “I spent the six months before we started rehearsal reading about these sort of math and science and historical topics inside the show to make sure that I understood them in a way I could confidently work out the material with the actors.”
For Peterson, understanding the material has been an ongoing part of the rehearsal process.
“... Throughout the past month and a half, really taking our time to understand our words,” Peterson said. “If we don’t know what we’re saying, the audience won’t know what we’re saying. … It’s been a really fun challenge.”
Despite the difficulty, Monroe said the challenge is part of what makes the production rewarding.
“It’s really hard, and I love it,” Monroe said. “I often wish I maybe wanted to do something slightly easier, but it’s the only thing I really love to do. I feel like the bigger the challenge, the bigger the reward.”
Throughout the rehearsal processes, the cast built a stronger connection.
“Being part of the cast really feels like I'm part of a team, because there's so many people working together,” Peterson said. “The cast itself, we’ve gotten really close through this experience. ... It’s a new experience for a lot of us. And even though we've known each other before, working on a production, having this be our baby for the past month and a half has definitely brought us closer.”
That sense of collaboration has extended to Monroe’s experience working with the cast.
“I love the OU School of Drama students,” Monroe said. “They’re so passionate and so committed and so devoted to the process, and every day they come in and try to give their best and try to be better than they were the day before.”
As opening night approaches, both Monroe and Peterson said they are looking forward to seeing the production come together in front of an audience.
“To an actor, having an audience changes everything … it just uplifts the entire production,” Peterson said. “It adds a level of energy to us as actors that you will never see before, and I’m excited to share this story with my peers, and with my family and friends.”
Peterson said he hopes the audience will leave with an appreciation for both the actors and the intricacies of the storyline.
“I think there's so much to learn from this story, so much to gain, in terms of, obviously knowledge regarding the universe and math and science, but also who we are as people and what the human experience is like,” Peterson said. “I’m excited for people to see that story.”
“Arcadia” will perform at 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday and Oct. 15-16, as well as at 3 p.m. Sunday and Oct. 18 at the Weitzenhoffer Theatre. Tickets are available online and at the Fine Arts Box Office.
This story was edited by Madisson Cameron. Andrew Higgins, Lauren Brogdon and Larkin Bock copy edited this story.
