A wild, free-form comedy with lots of audience participation and madcap fun. WJ STAGE’s production of “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon” certainly seems to be living up to its name. STAGE’s latest production is unlike any other recent production—instead of the soulful and emotional drama of last year’s “King Lear” or the heartful musical numbers of spring’s “Les Misérables,” “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon” has two narrators attempting to recreate all 209 of the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm in a wild, fasted-paced night. STAGE opens its curtains on Nov. 8, with more shows on Nov. 9, 10, 15 and 16.
Production for a play is very different when compared to a musical. Actors are still fresh off of the countless hours of singing required this last spring. Junior Sasha Rotton, cast as Narrator #1, noticed the significant change.
“The rehearsal process is different,” Rotton said. “For the musical, we’re more so learning music and dance, but for the play, we’re analyzing the rhetoric of a line and breaking down scripts to be able to interpret it ourselves.”
Despite its quirky and atmospheric script, creating such an ambitious production behind the scenes can be intense. Junior Yuri Sternberg, playing Narrator #2, acknowledged a change in the script’s pace.
“It’s more challenging because you had more time to breathe in ‘Les Misérables,’” junior Yuri Sternberg said. “You’re going at such a blistering pace, covering so many stories, that remembering the small things like comedic timing or tone can pass you by.”
Despite the pace the script sets, Sternberg praised the upcoming underclassmen new to the stage for being able to perform so well in such an advanced script.
Beyond acting, technical jobs within the crew are also presented with tasks unique to “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon,” including sound effects and audio. Junior Nikki Mosaddegh is in charge of overseeing the show’s audio and sound production.
“There’s a lot of obscure sound effects this time around,” Mosaddegh said. “It’s a monetized play, so we have to make sure everything is copyright-free.”
Mosaddegh also stated that as the play gets deeper into production, logistic roles in the crew start working closer and closer with the cast, requiring efficient collaboration.
Senior Emily Ashman is the co-production manager, and is in charge of logistics for the show, such as security, concessions and most backstage assignments. It’s her first year being involved in technical assignments instead of acting.
“The show is a month earlier than usual this year,” Ashman said. “It’s a tight turnaround especially when considering the scope and magnitude of the script.”
Cast and crew will work consistently between now and opening night to prepare.
