Buntport's transformation

Local theater group explores new dramatic genres

By Adam Goldstein
goldstea@mscd.edu

When the members of the theatre company known best for quirky comedies like "Titus Andronicus: The Musical" and "Kafka On Ice" decided to tackle new genres, the biggest dramatic challenge was keeping it real.

Since 1998, the Buntport Theater Company has carved its own niche in the local theater scene, building a quirky, brainy and consistently funny repertoire of shows that draw from the finest literary and dramatic sources. Their plays combine a refined sense of culture with an unabashed silliness, an intimate knowledge of the old masters with a brazen and brave brand of comedy. Along with their live sitcom, "Magnets on the Fridge," which resumes Nov. 22, the Buntport's on-stage oeuvre has always effectively used diverse influences to create comedy that is fresh, innovative and just plain funny.

For the new season, however, the Buntport crew has strayed from its comedic roots. The two new shows mark a collaborative effort to experiment with new and untapped genres. Both "Horror: The Transformation" and "Realism: The Mythical Brontosaur" are aptly named, representing the company's first forays into foreign dramatic territory. In choosing a different direction for the new season, the Buntport's players hope to expand their horizons and display their varied interests.

"Part of it, definitely, is just for our own amusement-for us to try new things," said Buntport member Brian Colonna. "I think it's also important for us to make sure people realize that there's a diversity of things that we do ... We're not devoted only to comedy."

Indeed, these two shows reveal a varied set of interests and directions for the company. "Realism: The Mythical Brontosaurus" explores a character's existential crisis in a stark and sober manner. Evan Weissman plays Jack, who has locked himself in his room after learning a disturbing truth about the brontosaurus. His sister Fiona, played by Erin Rollman, and her boyfriend Michael, played by Brian Colonna, try to coax him out of his room and back into the living world. Meanwhile Ben, Jack's roommate, played by Erik Edborg, takes a more resigned approach to Jack's self-imposed imprisonment.

"Realism" represents a bold step toward minimalism, toward the most basic and fundamental aspects of theater. Here, the characters' crises are utterly pedestrian and the plot twists revolve around the minutiae of everyday life.

The dramatic effects of "Realism" rely purely on the skill and ability of the players for its effect. Here, there are no elaborate props or flamboyant costumes. The transparency of the play holds its own daunting elements for the company.

"('Realism') was definitely a bigger stretch for us than anything," said Hannah Duggan, a Buntport member who worked behind the scenes on "Realism" and stars in "Horror." "It seemed so much more frightening to tackle ... (For "Horror") we had no idea what would scare people and if we were capable of scaring people. But, the realism show was horrifying."

Unlike the straightforward minimalism of "Realism," much more stagecraft is involved in "Horror: The Transformation." Based on the 18th century novel, "Weiland or the Transformation" by Charles Brockden Brown, this production experiments with all the possibilities of the stage to convey a chilling and genuinely scary play. The company makes full use of diverse elements in their efforts to deliver a genuinely frightening effect. Puppets, lighting, sound effects and other atmospherics play into the production's complex craft. Still, the brainy roots of the source material are clear in the dialogue, as characters indulge in highbrow discussions on the practical implications of Aristotle and Socrates. Even the more gruesome acts of the play are interspersed with philosophical musings. By combining the visceral impact of scary stage effects with the satiric and intellectual content of Brown, the members of the company make an effort to make highfalutin ideas more palatable for audiences that might be unfamiliar with the experience of theater.

"Part of our mission statement is to be accessible," Weissman said. "People who don't normally go to the theater or don't want to ... can come see something of ours. Maybe because we're irreverent about it; hopefully they'll see other theater."

In both "Horror" and "Realism," the Buntport tries to balance experimentation with accessibility, innovation with appeal.

"I think a lot of people think (of theatre) as a four-letter word," said Erik Edborg. "We're trying to alleviate that and make it come alive."

Even in breaking into different genres, the company has retained its creative flair for the physical and tactile elements of their production. A two-story set piece functions as the stage for both productions, but the way in which it is used varies dramatically in the two pieces. In "Realism," the set is transparent. There is seating on either side of stage and the theater-in-the-round feel adds a complementary immediacy to the drama. For "Horror," however, walls are added and give the set the eerie appearance of a Victorian dollhouse.

"I think that the set almost came first," Rollman said. "We talked about horror as a genre that we were interested in exploring ... and someone pictured a house. The idea to do a realistic play might have technically spun from that."

The pieces are correlated thematically as well as physically. Both deal with the crises that arise with a change in conviction. Both involve characters that face the consequences of such a change, even if the responses vary greatly from one play to another. Both explore the fine line between illusion and reality, myth and fact.

Much of the Buntport's continued success as one of the foremost and well-reputed local theatre companies relies on its audience. With its popular comedic productions and ongoing sitcom, the company has built a solid reputation and fan base that serves as their most reliable and rewarding source of advertising.

"When something happens word-of-mouth, it feels really good," Colonna said.

"Especially when ... there's not a budget for advertising on billboards or buses."

For more information about the Buntport Theatre, visit www.buntport.com or call (720) 946 - 1388.