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Imagination brings classic story to life on Downing-Gross stage

Libraries' 'Page & Stage' program continues through April

The Aquila Theatre of New York presented a free workshop and performance on Feb. 11 at Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center as part of its partnership with the Newport News Public Library System.

“It was fun and difficult, because I had to think on my feet,” said Darrin Lyons Jr., of Williamsburg, who participated in the Acting Workshop presented Feb. 11 at Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center by the Aquila Theatre of New York.

Imagination is key to the touring company of the Aquila Theatre that visited Newport News’ Southeast Community on Feb. 11. From staging their streamlined production of Homer's “Iliad: Book One,” to the program concept that brought them there, to their objectives for the participants, imagination was well used.

“We try to awaken people’s imaginations to find the truth of the story we’re telling,” cast member Jay Painter told a diverse group of 42 community members who came for the first event of the day, the Acting Workshop. “We do these exercises in order to understand the humanities themes in these events.”

On Feb. 11 at the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center, the seven cast members taught the workshop and performed the “Iliad” for an audience of 139.  After the performance, Professor Lily Panoussi of the College of William and Mary led a discussion centered around the theme, “From Homer to Hip Hop.” The program was part of “Page and Stage,” a partnership with the Newport News Public Library System and its Pearl Bailey Library, which presented those programs, and others going on through April, free to the public. The Newport News Public Library System is one of 16 libraries in seven states nationwide receiving grants to host “Page and Stage: The Power of the Iliad Today.”

Cast members told the workshop participants that one of the company’s goals for the program is to dispel the myth that classical literature is outdated and boring. “The classics still speak to us today,” Painter said. “They resonate with our lives today, and reflect our humanity, journey and place in society -- everything. They’re classics not because they’re old, but because they’re good.”

Cast members explained the important role of the audience’s participation and imagination to a performance. Then they vividly illustrated it with an exercise in which two workshop volunteers were secretly told what to perform, while the audience had to figure out what they portrayed. With guesses such as “hearing the news of a tragic death,” “being scolded by a school principal,” and “becoming angry with a boy who wouldn’t listen,” the workshop participants were stunned to hear that the direction given to the volunteers was “do nothing at all.”

“Whether you like it or not, your imagination is going to go places. It's going to run away with you, and that’s what theater is all about,” Painter said. “It comes from you. We want to stimulate your imagination. We don’t give you everything. You have to fill in the gaps. We want you to take the story off the page and bring it to life. We want you to bring out the truth.”

Darrin Lyons Jr., a recent high school graduate from Williamsburg, volunteered for an exercise that illustrated the important role of action in a story. He portrayed a person trying to borrow money from a stranger, and then switched to the role of the stranger, but without the ability to be able to speak words, only letters of the alphabet. “It was fun and difficult, because I had to think on my feet,” said Lyons, who delighted the audience by creatively using the letters “y” and “OMG.”

Following the hour full of audience participation and interactive exercises, the cast put their instructions into action. They presented a dramatic, one-act performance of the “Iliad: Book One,” that was inspired by the cover of Stanley Lombardo's translation, which is a photograph of the D-day landings. A disparate group of soldiers and refugees take refuge from a savage war and find solace and humanity in Homer’s epic tale.

The seven actors played multiple roles, as well as narrated the story, using minimal props. Simple black boxes became everything from a bunker, to a mountain, to a god’s throne as the actors slid and stacked them onstage during the performance. The innovative cast and crew then used the military-style containers to pack up and move their supplies to the moving van for their next performance.

“If we were wearing sandals and togas, it makes it too distant ... making it Desert Storm would be too recent. This is set during D-Day in World War II. The historical dust has settled,” Painter explained when the audience had the opportunity to ask questions following the performance. “It's not really set in World War II, but it’s a bunch of characters from World War II,” he said. “The characters are trapped in a bunker, telling themselves a story that they all know. It illustrates the power of the story.”

“Page and Stage” is a ground breaking in-depth partnership between the library and the theatre sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The partnership involves New York’s acclaimed Aquila Theatre; the American Philological Association, which represents classics professors in the United States; the Urban Libraries Council; and New York University’s Center for Ancient Studies.

The “Page and Stage” program continues in Newport News through April with the following free programs:

Homer to Hip-Hop Book-to-Film Discussion: “I Am Legend”

Vassiliki (Lily) Panoussi, assistant professor of classical studies at

the College of William and Mary, will explain how classical

storytelling is used in today’s modern storytelling form of movies and hip-hop music,

setting the stage for a series of Book-to-Film Discussions in March

and April. The 2004 film “I Am Legend,” starring Will Smith, will then

be shown. The program begins at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 10, at Pearl

Bailey Library, and continues on March 31. Part of “Page and Stage,”

an in-depth partnership between the Newport News Public Library System

and the Aquila Theatre in New York, with funding from the National

Endowment for the Humanities. Visit www.pageandstage.org for

information. Refreshments will be provided, and no registration is

required.

Homer to Hip-Hop Book-to-Film Discussion: “Iliad”

Vassiliki (Lily) Panoussi, assistant professor of classical studies at

the College of William and Mary, will lead a discussion of the Homer’s

“Iliad” as it relates to the film, “I Am Legend,” 6:30 p.m., Tuesday,

March 31, at Pearl Bailey Library. Part of “Page and Stage,” an

in-depth partnership between the Newport News Public Library System

and the Aquila Theatre in New York, with funding from the National

Endowment for the Humanities. Visit www.pageandstage.org for

information. Refreshments will be provided, and no registration is

required.

Homer to Hip-Hop Book-to-Film Discussion: “Pursuit of Happyness”

The series connecting classical storytelling to today’s modern

storytelling form of movies and hip-hop music continues with the screening of the Will

Smith film “Pursuit of Happyness,” 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 14, at

Pearl Bailey Library, and continues on April 28. Part of “Page and

Stage,” an in-depth partnership between the Newport News Public

Library System and the Aquila Theatre in New York, with funding from

the National Endowment for the Humanities. Visit www.pageandstage.org

for information. Refreshments will be provided, and no registration is

required.

Homer to Hip-Hop Book-to-Film Discussion: “Odyssey”

Vassiliki (Lily) Panoussi, assistant professor of classical studies at

the College of William and Mary, will lead a discussion of Homer’s

“Odyssey” as it relates to the film, “Pursuit of Happyness,” 6:30

p.m., Tuesday, April 28, at Pearl Bailey Library. Part of “Page and

Stage,” an in-depth partnership between the Newport News Public

Library System and the Aquila Theatre in New York, with funding from

the National Endowment for the Humanities. Visit www.pageandstage.org

for information. Refreshments will be provided, and no registration is

required.

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