Measure for Measure
Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare is one of the bard's most scandalous morality plays. Dealing with themes of manipulation, power, and the power of one's reputation. The production was heavily inspired by European nightlife and rave culture, interwoven with themes of religion and purity. This was accomplished through transition music ranging from German electronic producer Gessafelstein to electro-infused orchestral pieces by Apashe. Produced at Columbia University at the Lenfest Center For The Arts
Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg
The team wanted each transition to function like a transition in a DJ set. The first example was the preshow music, mixed in with the preshow speech, as well as unmuffling of the music to show a character entering from the club
The second example was used at the top of the show to show the intermixing of religious and night club aesthetics.
The third example was a transition from Act II Scene 2, this was one of my personal favorite transitions splicing Zhu's track Preach which set the tone for many of the other transitions of the show.
Finally, we have the music that underscored the Bed Trick, where Angelo is tricked into sleeping with a woman who he believes is Isabella. This moment was a heavily choreographed sequence mixing dance, lighting, projections, and moving scenery.
Design
After the first meeting with director Dennis Oliveira, it was clear what the aesthetic of this production was. Take Shakespeare's most scandalous play and set it in the atmosphere of European nightclub like Berghain. The atmosphere would be contrasted by the heavy religious themes of the play and giving a balance of pure light and grimy dark. This was accomplished with a mixture of dark electronic dance music (EDM) and choral gospel music. Even the preshow gave the illusion that the audience was outside of the nightclub that this play unfolds in, with muffled dance beats pumping until the show began. The goal was to invite the audience into the club and immerse them in the drama unfolding before them.
Measure for Measure Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg
Actors: Seth Retzlaff, J.T. Thorne Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg
Measure for Measure Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg
Measure for Measure Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg
Design
Team
Director: Dennis Oliveira
Stage Manager: Emily Griffith
Scenic Designer: Noah Hull
Costume Designer: Bex Jones
Lighting Designer: Yiyuan Li
Sound Designer: Andrew Yoder
Projection Designer: Chazz Padilla