Sadly, here’s the last of our interviews with the cast of Julius Caesar - but happily, you still have two chances to catch the show at Huntington’s Renaissance Theatre, Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m.
For our final installment, let’s hear from Christal Barton, who plays Flavius (a riot cop) and other ‘background’ characters.
Q: In 25 words or less, what is the story behind the play Julius Caesar?
Christal: Julius Caesar is about friendship and power and how one affects the other. This particular interpretation really highlights the ‘inner person’ in a way I’ve never seen before - Brutus is cold and calculating in private but charming and gregarious in public. Caesar is arrogant in public but kind and loving in private.
Q: Why did you want to be part of this show?
Christal: I saw MacBeth, and I decided that I wanted to play with those people. I am truly enthralled with the way (director) Mike Murdock’s brain works and the amazingly brilliant way he handles a script. His blocking, set design, even costuming makes me look at the play and the characters in a way I never have before. To me, theatre isn’t just about entertainment - it’s about making your audience think, about leaving them better than you found them. Mike does that effortlessly. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?
Q: What's your theatre background, and why do you enjoy doing community theatre shows?
Christal: I studied theatre at Concord College (now University). The best part about a strong theatre program at a small school is that you can learn pretty much whatever you want - I acted, directed, costumed, stage managed, ran a lighting board - you name it and and one point or other I did it. I was blessed to be there when Dr. Jim and Ann Lile were teaching there, and they instilled a love of theatre as both a craft and art form that I will be eternally grateful for. For the past ten years or so I’ve assisted my husband (a high school theatre teacher) with school productions but otherwise focused on raising our sons. Now that they’re a bit older, I’m excited to be involved with ARTS and other local productions.
Q: Why would you recommend this show?
Christal: Because it’s awesome? I’m not the world’s biggest Shakespeare fan, and Julius Caesar isn’t really on the short list of shows I like. But this production is really GOOD. I’m a little jealous that I can’t see it from the audience, because even from the wings I can see the power of it. Mike has seamlessly brought Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter into 2013. Brutus video blogs. Calpurnia uses an Ipad. Paparazzi follow Caesar and the conspirators around. This production is unique in that it manages to be current without changing any of the dialogue. And you can see it. You can see Caesar as a candidate for President. You can see Brutus as a jealous underling. This show has the beautiful lyricism of Shakespeare’s words for the classicist and the seamless integration of technology for the modernist. And for everyone else, it’s very pretty and a great time.
Q: Biggest challenge to this show?
Christal: Personally, my biggest challenge was simply time - with three young boys, there’s just not a lot of it to be had. My biggest challenge as an artist was probably the makeup artist scene - creating a character without words, and responding to a dead body in such a way that was true to the character without drawing focus from the rest of the scene. And of course, just being on stage again after such a long absence was a big challenge.
Q: Why Shakespeare?
Christal: Shakespeare is relevant. He wrote for the masses in the 1600s and his stories still speak to a modern audience. Forbidden love, struggles for power, political intrigue - these are all very relevant to a modern audience. For this show in particular, I think it’s important that modern audiences see that relevance - it’s important to see that the politics we see on CNN and MSNBC every day were very similar to the politics of ancient Rome and Elizabethan England. Edmund Burke said, “Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it.” I think it’s important to see that we ARE repeating history. And if you happen to have a roaring good time while you learn that lesson, all the better.
Q: Tell us show dates, times, place.
Christal: Two shows left! Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23, 8 p.m. at Arts Resources for the TriState, 900 8th Street, Huntington.
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