This year, the Sock ‘n’ Buskin Theatre Company is producing four different plays—ranging from Shakespearean classics to theatrical dystopias.
Much Ado About Nothing
Written by William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing is a classic romantic comedy revolving around two couples: Claudio and Hero; and Benedick and Beatrice. While Claudio and Hero are quick to fall in love after courtship, Benedick and Beatrice are rivals manipulated into love by Claudio and Hero.
Earlier this September, the play’s director Olivia Botelho—a third-year public affairs and policy management student and long-time thespian—held auditions for the Sock ‘n’ Buskin’s production of Much Ado About Nothing and has since begun rehearsal.
Botelho is bringing her own twist to this much-performed play, setting the play in the 1970s—an age of peak second-wave feminism and disco. Olivia says she is excited to be putting up a “fun, funny show where a large cast of actors can go all-out and create larger than life characters.”
Much Ado About Nothing premieres this November at the Kailash Mital Theatre.
Almost, Maine
Almost, Maine by playwright John Cariani (Law and Order) features nine different love stories that take place in Maine at the same time: 9 p.m. on a chilly Friday night, when love is lost and found—almost.
The director Sarah Ashton is a third-year English major student with a concentration in creative writing. She has been actively involved with Sock ‘n’ Buskin since her first year at Carleton. Her love for theatre and and Almost, Maine, however, goes way back. When she was in high school, she found herself enthralled by how the play explored the idea of love and the complexities of human emotions—and it is this complexity that she wishes to bring to the stage.
“I always liked the simplicity of this play and how it was just a nice way to escape everyday life,” Ashton said. “It’s a sweet show that will leave the audience feeling good.”
While love can be complicated, Sarah doesn’t believe this play has to be. “There’s no need for crazy sets, extravagant costumes,” she said. “We’re not necessarily looking for the most trained actors.”
Almost, Maine premieres in January at St. James United Church, and auditions are Sept. 30.
The Mousetrap
Agatha Christie is one of the best-selling novelists of all time, but she’s also the writer of one of the longest running plays of all time: The Mousetrap.
On a cold winter night, newlyweds Mollie and Giles Ralston receive five different visitors at their newly acquired and renovated guesthouse. The next morning, the guests are all snowed in and the radio announces a murder—one of whom is among the guests.
Fourth-year journalism student Jasmine Stamos directs this rendition of The Mousetrap. Having been involved with SnB since her first year at Carleton, she is a seasoned thespian who has always been fascinated with the mystery genre—everything from Scooby-Doo to Nancy Drew to eventually Agatha Christie.
Stamos is looking for a small cast—eight actors with some room for volunteers. Auditions are Sept. 30 at Paterson Hall, and the show itself premieres in February.
Fahrenheit 451
Set in an undefined day and age, Fahrenheit 451 brings to life a futuristic dystopia in which the world is regulated by a group of people known as “firemen.” Their role as civil servants is to censor works of art and destroy knowledge by burning books. The play follows the story of one fireman, Montag, as his life and perspective changes, in turn changing this dystopian order of the world.
Director Sheldon Parathundyil is a third-year public affairs and policy management student and has been in over 30 different school and community theatre productions.
Parathundyil looks to “bring words on paper to life and create characters larger than life.” He said he plans to incorporate mime and commedia dell’arte forms of theatric expression, making it decidedly different from the original book and adapted movie. Auditions are January, and the play premieres in March.
Provided photo
