Lights, sound push Renaissance Center’s R³ to the edge

Release Date: 11/8/2001. Expired: 11/17/2001

The Renaissance Center’s Repertory Company is no stranger to Shakespeare. This month, it will present the fifth Shakespearean production in the company’s short history when the story of the Bard’s most notorious villain comes to life on Saturday, Nov. 17, in R³, an original stage adaptation of The Tragedy of King Richard III. R³ also marks a reunion between adaptor and co-director Hal Partlow with light and sound designer Tom Stanziano. The two have worked together on other productions at the center, however, Partlow feels that this production really utilizes Stanziano’s talents to their fullest.

“The concept that I had in mind when adapting Richard III into R³ was very modern and urban,” Partlow said. “I was very excited to talk the concept over with Tom and let him work his magic.”

Aided by state-of-the-art lighting and special effects equipment, Stanziano offers a whole new take on the brutal king’s story which works perfectly with directors Partlow and Kim Leavitt’s approach, turning R³ into a drama of glitter and violence, as vigorous and exciting as its chief character.

“Our production is contemporary, it’s urban, very fast paced and very much on the cutting edge,” Partlow said. The concept behind this production will help those not familiar with this specific play by making it extremely accessible.

Stanziano said he and Partlow met several times to create the specialized lighting for this production, and that it took about three weeks to design and program the technical aspects into the facility’s computerized lighting and sound equipment.

“When Hal first approached me with his concept of doing R³ in an urban style, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to show off the capabilities of The Renaissance Center,” Stanziano said. “We have the state-of-the-art theatre in Middle Tennessee. No other theatre has moving lights, color scrollers and computerized lighting consoles. We’re the only one in this area that has these technical capabilities.”

The eerie sense of the dark and brutal Richard is enhanced by other design concepts as well, including the continual use of an odor-free mist that enables the audience to see the lighting more clearly.

Stanziano said he’s “more of a rock and roll lighting type-guy,” so creating the effects for R³ came naturally.

“I took my vision of the play and Hal’s vision and put the two together. I just saw it as rock and roll. In terms of our field-trip audiences, this production is for high school students, and we wanted to grab their attention immediately. So, the lighting and sound design works hand in hand with the adaptor’s concept, and brings the classic up to date.”

Partlow emphasizes that this specific adaptation will appeal to all members of the audience because it is true to the Bard’s intent.

“However, this adaptation focuses on the Bard’s more subtle sub-plot,” Partlow said, “as we examine the power struggles Richard engages in with the women of his life: his mother, his wife, and his fiercest opponent - his sister-in-law Queen Elizabeth. The language is absolutely Shakespeare’s: Both Kim [Leavitt] and I are purists when it comes to that. And the moral of the play is the same one Shakespeare created 500 years ago.”

The moral? Good conquers evil.

Members of the Repertory Company appearing in R³ include Amy Arrington, Jeremy John Evans, Greg Frey, Alix McEachern Jones, Partlow and Robyn Smith. Jan Y. Dial, director of Drama and Theatre at the Center, and Brad Diamond, director of Project Development, round out the cast.

R³ will be available for one night only on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. in the center’s Performance Hall. Tickets are $10 adults, $8 seniors and $5 children under 13.

For tickets or more information call The Renaissance Center at (615)740-5600.

The Renaissance Center is located at 855 Highway 46 South in Dickson, just 35 minutes west of Nashville.

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