BRATTLEBORO — New England Youth Theatre’s Senior Company of student actors and crew are performing Bertolt Brecht’s “The Caucasian Chalk Circle,” which promises to pair haunting harmonies with laughter, tension and heartfelt emotion.
Alex Aither, 17, of Brattleboro, who plays Grusha and has been involved with NEYT since the age of 5, described the play as “a celebration of people and of community.”
“It tells the story of who has the right to own something or someone and how do we decide that?” Aither said. “How do we decide who deserves what in this life, which I think is a message that I think could be heard.”
Tickets are on sale now at neyt.org/caucasian-chalk-circle for a sliding scale of $15 to $20. Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. April 10 and 11, and 2 p.m. April 11 and 12.
Eric Bass, co-founder of Sandglass Theater in Putney, is directing the musical. NEYT described it as a “mask-filled take on the parable of the Judgement of King Solomon.”
“In the ancient times of the Caucasus Mountains region, two stories converge: that of Grusha, the kitchen maid who goes through many ordeals to save the infant of an overthrown Governor; and Azdak, the corrupt judge who is charged with deciding whether or not Grusha must return the child to the woman who abandoned it,” states a description of the musical.
Aither said the show is “told through so many lenses.”
“It’s a very funny show,” Aither said, “but also at the same time, it will tear you apart. It’s a story of family and love, which are themes that everyone has had experience with.”
Aither started participating in NEYT productions and has hopes of going into theater professionally as an adult.
Bass’ past collaborator Ralph Denzer provided Eastern European-inspired arrangements of Brecht’s lyrics, taught to the actors by NEYT Music Director Magda Sharff. Sandglass Theater’s Artistic Director Shoshana Bass is choreographing.
Sharff said her arrangements have “leaned towards Georgian harmony, because the show is set in a fictionalized version of the Republic of Georgia.”
“We have two wonderful student musicians who are on stage the entire time playing while members of the ensemble sing,” said Sharff, who plays an accordion during the show.
Taz Hand, 14, of Dummerston, plays saxophones, percussion instruments, trumpet, trombone and piano onstage.
Veronica Cottrill, 16, of Greenfield, Mass., and Bibi Johnson, 17, of Brattleboro are cast as the two soldiers.
“They only really care about one thing and that’s themselves or the money that they get,” Cottrill said. “So the entire play, they’re switching sides.”
Johnson said the characters provide an example of what drives a person with no morals or appreciation for good or beauty.
NEYT is “a like a second home” for Johnson.
“I just love being in the building,” Johnson said.
NEYT Scenic Director Dave Regan, with the help of a team of student and adult collaborators, created nearly three dozen handmade masks that will “allow Brecht’s exaggerated side characters to come to life,” according to the theater.
NEYT’s Senior Company of actors received special mask workshop instruction from Elena Day, head of physical theater at New England Center for Circus Arts. Costume design is handled by NEYT Lead Costumer Sandy Klein with returning NEYT alum Phoebe Martel, and lights and sound will be run by Francesca Bourgault.
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