This Wednesday, 蘑菇AV鈥檚 Fountain School of Performing Arts lifts the curtain on Everybody 鈥� a thought-provoking dance with life, death, and humanity that seeks to answer one of life鈥檚 greatest questions: what does it mean to live before death?听听
Written by American playwright Braden Jacob-Jenkins, Everybody is a contemporary adaption of the 15th-century morality play Everyman, reimagined for a modern world wrestling with meaning and connection.听
The DalTheatre production, running from Wednesday to Saturday this week, welcomes guest director Severn Thompson (shown right). Thompson brings her extensive experience as both an actor and director at the and 听theatre festivals, as well as her current role as associate artistic director of the l, to her work with Dal students.听
To be vulnerable together, I feel empowers us.听
鈥淧ondering our death and what happens beyond that, because we're faced with a large unknown, something that we all share, I think has the opportunity to bring us closer together鈥� Thompson says. 鈥淭o be vulnerable together, I feel empowers us.鈥澨�
No two shows the same
One of the play鈥檚 most intriguing features is the live on-stage lottery to assign roles. With 720 possible casting scenarios, no two shows will be the same. Which one the audience will receive the night of will be entirely dictated by chance, ensuring performances full of humour and unpredictability.听
鈥淎s an actor, I certainly know what the challenges are in sharing parts,鈥� Thompson says. 鈥淵ou can get quite possessive of your character but it's a wonderful gift to share that and not feel threatened 鈥� to take what other people are doing and let it open up new ways, new perspectives, new ways to play things.鈥澨�
Fourth-year Theatre Studies student Red Durand (shown left), who selected Everybody as their honours project and serves alongside Thompson as assistant director, says the play鈥檚 structure pushes both the cast and audience to think differently.听
鈥淭he lottery creates an ability for an actor to fully put their ego aside,鈥� Durand says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 something so unique about this play. It鈥檚 about everybody, and it's equitably picked for everybody.鈥澨�
Durand has watched rehearsals for weeks, at times, multiple times a day, and says the production is nothing short of captivating. The audience, they say, 鈥渨ill feel completely immersed while also feeling completely within [their] own thoughts. There's never a dull moment.鈥澨�
A puzzle comes together
Durand credits much of that on-stage magic to Thompson鈥檚 direction. When Durand gets the opportunity to be a fly on the wall, they describe the experience as a masterclass in itself.听听
鈥淪he asks the right questions and probes the right spots鈥� they say. 鈥淪he has a way of understanding the material and creating a language with her actors that translates and creates a space for them to be true artists.鈥澨�
Watching the production evolve, Durand described it as 鈥減ieces of a puzzle coming together.鈥� Each week, a new layer of depth, energy, and connection builds as the cast catapult themselves into the work.听 听听
The most exciting thing that can happen in a play is to find real connection with your audience.
With all five shows already sold out, Thompson, Durand, and the cast invite audiences to witness a theatrical experience that鈥檚 as unpredictable as it is profound 鈥� a reminder that in the face of death, what truly endures is what we share with one another.听 听
听鈥淭he most exciting thing that can happen in a play is to find real connection with your audience,鈥� Thompson says. 鈥淚 think there's an opportunity for that to happen here in a really unique way.鈥澨�
