'Sonnets to Orpheus' - tragic and beautiful
Lincoln Academy seniors Elias Bassett and Sophia Scott as Rilke and Vera, in "Sonnets to Orpheus", opening March 14 in the Poe Theater. Courtesy of Heartwood
Lincoln Academy seniors Elias Bassett and Sophia Scott as Rilke and Vera, in "Sonnets to Orpheus", opening March 14 in the Poe Theater. Courtesy of Heartwood
Under the direction of Griff Braley, "Sonnets to Orpheus," a Heartwood / Lincoln Academy (LA) collaboration, is a reflective, meditative theater experience, intertwining the tragic and beautiful love story of the Greek myth, Orpheus and Euridice, with the poetry of Reiner Maria Rilke's "Sonnets to Orpheus." Performances run March 14 - 22, in the Poe Theater, at Lincoln Academy.
The most impactful theater productions are derived from unified elements: text, acting, and technical. Sonnets to Orpheus is reaching hard, for this unified whole.
Gorgeous lighting illuminates the rich, tall, multi-level set, providing space for the nine-member ensemble to discover beauty and love, even in the face of great agony and loss.
A moving soundscape underscores this 50-minute piece, composed and arranged by LA senior, Sophia Scott.
Beautiful lines of poetry are carried on the notes of haunting vocals, through ensemble-speaking, and in soliloquy. (The kind of thoughts, lines, that leave one wishing to pause - and "let me hear that once more!")
At its core, this is an educational / immersion experience for cast, crew and LA’s play production class. Ensemble story telling is a trademark of Heartwood / LA productions, typically springing from strong literary texts such as this. Students are challenged and rewarded by the demands of this classic myth and poetic text, supported with a multiplicity of rich technical components.
To round out the educational experience for students and perhaps audience as well, there will be a talk-back session following the Matinee Performance on Saturday, March 15.
One matinee, 2 p.m. on March 15, and four evening performances are scheduled for March 14, 20, 21 & 22 at 7 p.m. in the Parker Poe Theater at Lincoln Academy. Reservations by emailing info@heartwoodtheater.org or phoning 207-563-1373. Note: Lincoln Academy does not manage ticket sales. All adult tickets are $20, and students through college are $5, thanks to Student Ticket Sponsors - First National Wealth Management and Moody’s Diner.
Along with many individual sponsors and anonymous grantors, generous business sponsors help provide this programming: Bath Savings Institution Associates, Inc. - Heartwood Season Sponsor; Damariscotta Hardware – Youth Sponsor; First National Bank – Education Sponsor; Hootenanny Bread & Gallagher, Villeneuve and Degeer, PLLC – Show Sponsors.
