More than a fairytale and a play, the Harper Joy Theater production presented “The Dragon” last Thursday, March 5. The fairytale was written in 1942 by Evgeny Schwartz, a Soviet writer who attempted to hide his criticism of fascism, tyranny and Nazism in his writing.
“The Dragon” follows a wanderer named Lancelot (Leo Patrizio) who stumbles upon a house belonging to the Charlemange (Ahmad Zinou) and his daughter Elsa (Anneliese Widdis). Lancelot finds out that the town is under the rule of a three-headed dragon (AJ Johnson, Kristjan Leedo and Rufus Smith) and its underlings (Jay Liao-Troth and Aiden Wolf) that instilled fear, obedience and plans to take Elsa away.
Professor of Theatre and director, Christopher Petit, has worked at Whitman for more than 20 years and directed multiple plays during this time. His classes include performance theory, acting and directing. For Petit, producing “The Dragon” has been no small feat.
“This is a large show involving a lot of moving parts. There are complicated design elements, live music, puppets and 15 actors,” Director Petit said. “I started working with the designers last semester, and then with the actors this semester.”
Students originally auditioned for “The Dragon” in the fall semester, and those on the production team have worked through some unique challenges to bring the play to life. Petit expressed that the play challenged the limits of students’ imagination.
“It’s been a delight to work on this play. I see it as a kind of ‘pure theater’ that is continually reinforcing and celebrating the act of ‘play.’ Every rehearsal we pursue the most ridiculous things with the utmost seriousness,” Petit said. “How do you make the dragon roar? How do you switch his heads? What does the battle look like? What does it look like when the Burgomaster goes crazy? This process required a great deal of invention, time and effort, but it has been a process filled with joy and has been a lot of fun to work on.”
In addition to the stagecraft required to produce the play, the technical director also shared a hope that the play will present some perspective on the rise of authoritarian impulses. Senior Lecturer of Theater and Technical Director, Nate Tomsheck, has worked at Whitman for 12 years and led the process of choosing the play with a board of faculty members.
“When I look at a play, [I ask] are there opportunities for lighting? Is there an opportunity for a fun set? Are there opportunities for students to work on the show in a meaningful way?” Tomsheck said.
With input from other faculty members, Tomsheck and others decided to perform “The Dragon” based on the opportunities it presented for students to learn new skills and perform what they felt was a relevant political message.
“The Dragon” presents an allegory about fascist regimes, and Tomsheck shared that its production cycle coincided with national and international news. He was also excited to have guest artists such as Akiko Rotch, Rob Witmer and Craig Wollam work alongside students on this play.
“We are fortunate to have money to bring in guest artists. [That is] how our department thrives since we’re not close to a metropolitan area; it’s really important to expose our students to working professionals out in the real world. By bringing in working professionals here, our students are making contacts with folks who have opportunities that our students could take advantage of in their careers,” Tomsheck said.
Lena Dozeman ’28 attended the play and found it to be thought-provoking and well done. She thought about its representations of casual oppression and how imperative it is to stray away from that. Dozeman also expressed admiration for the production team.
“Every single actor was so well cast and committed to their roles. They did an excellent job crafting the balance between comedic moments and more serious themes,” Dozeman said. “I was so impressed with the way it all came together, from the acting, singing, costumes and set design. I could feel all of the effort that went into creating the show.”
Dozeman has been to countless Harper Joy Theatre’s plays over the past two years, many of which dealt with political issues and darker tones. The execution of “The Dragon” was refreshing to her as its light-hearted approach made the themes more comprehensible for the general public.
“I absolutely would recommend this play! It is very pertinent to the dark times we’re living in right now, but also provides some much-needed levity,” Dozeman said. “Especially for students who don’t often go to see plays at Whitman. I think ‘The Dragon’ is an excellent demonstration of all the talent we have in our community.”
The production team of The Dragon has been intentional with themes, set design and music. Harper Joy Theatre had its last showing on Sunday, March 8, and was met with applause, laughter and smiles for “The Dragon”.
