The fifth mainstage summer production at Cortland Repertory Theatre will be the theatre's regional debut of the timely, riveting and highly theatrical courtroom drama Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde. From August 5 - 15, playwright Moisés Kaufman's play will be on the CRT stage in the Edward Jones Playhouse at the Little York Pavilion. Producing Artistic Director Kerby Thompson expresses his excitement at presenting this dazzling and compelling piece of theatre for the first time in the area. "With this play, we are able to show the wide range in productions that CRT can accomplish. By placing this play between our farce and the musical Forever Plaid, we are giving our audience a treat in a great variety of theatre styles." Thompson says. "Gross Indecency has humor, an exuberant theatricality, riveting performances and most of all, a style that will spark discussion afterwards. The play questions the interpretation of what is art and literature, and how it affects the public. On the surface, it deals with Wilde's homosexuality in a time when it was considered a crime or in fact not even existent, but underneath it's about so much more." Bill Kincaid, who has previously directed A Few Good Men, How the Other Half Loves and Almost Maine at CRT, returns as show director.
Gross Indecency uses trial transcripts, personal correspondence, interviews and other source materials to tell the story of the downfall of
Oscar Wilde, whose artistic genius has long been overshadowed by the scandal surrounding his imprisonment. In early 1895, the Marquess of Queensberry, the father of Wilde's young lover Lord Alfred Douglas, left a card at Wilde's club bearing the phrase "posing somdomite" (sic). Wilde sued the Marquess for criminal libel. In the course of the trial, the defense denounced Wilde's art and literature as immoral, indecent and corrupting, citing specifically his only novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray". The trial ended with Queensberry acquitted, and enough evidence that had been gathered against Wilde compelling the Crown to prosecute him for "gross indecency with male persons." With Wilde's arrest, his hit plays running in London's West End were forced to close and Wilde was reduced to poverty. The second trial ended in a hung jury, but Wilde's impassioned defense of "the love that dare not speak it's name" prompting a third trial. In the final and decisive trial, Wilde was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment at hard labor. He was separated forever from his wife and children, and wrote very little for the rest of his life. In Gross Indecency, addition to Wilde, Douglas and Queensberry, characters ranging from Queen Victoria to London's rent boys to present day academics are assembled to explore how history is made and how it can be so timely revisited in the theatre.
"As emphasized with Bill's direction, the theme of the show focuses on the question of an artist's responsibility for the affect of his or her art on the public." Thompson says. "It seems that every generation has an artist - most recently, the Beatles to Elvis to Brittany Spears - where the public is concerned about their art corrupting our society. Elvis's hip swivels on national television created an uproar, just as metal rock singer Marilyn Manson is depicted in the media as a bad influence on children. The difference is, Wilde was imprisoned and left destitute because of his writings."
The play is presented in the style popularized by German playwright
Bertolt Brecht, who proposed that a play should not cause the audience to identify emotionally with the characters, but should instead spark a critical view of the action. Brecht wanted his audiences to adopt this perspective in order to recognize social injustice, and to be moved to try and change their world. To reach this goal, Brecht used techniques that remind the audience that the play is a representation of reality and not reality itself. By highlighting the theatrical nature of a play, he hoped to communicate that the audience's reality was equally constructed and, as such, was changeable. To emphasize this goal, CRT's design elements are very different from most other plays. The back wall of the theatre will be exposed, the backstage area will not be masked or hidden from view, costume and set changes happen in full light in front of the audience and most of the actors will play many different roles.
Heading the cast is Equity Guest Artist Brian Runbeck as Wilde, who has been seen in CRT's productions of How the Other Half Loves and Harvey. Kyle Kennedy, seen last year as Colonel Nathan Jessup in A Few Good Men returns to play Queensberry as well as lawyers Gill and Lockwood. Also returning is Dale J. Young who played Colonel Wargrave in CRT's Ten Little Indians, playing defense lawyer Clark. New to CRT is
Eric Oleson who will portray prosecuting attorney Carson. Completing the cast will be the five members of CRT's performing intern company, with Joel Pellini as Lord Alfred Douglas, and Corwin Barnes, Kristopher Dean, Evan Faram and Jared Titus playing roles ranging from Queen Victoria to
George Bernard Shaw to playwright Moisés Kaufman himself.
On the design team,
Jo Winiarski, who has previously worked on many CRT shows including Johnny Guitar, A Few Good Men, and The Great American Trailer Park Musical handles the scenic design elements. Costumes are designed by Wendi Zea, whose previous work on Damn Yankees and Unnecessary Farce was seen earlier this summer. Lighting the walls and ceiling of the Little York Pavilion will be Lighting Designer Kate Furst, who joins season designers Justin Peters (props) and David Huber (sound) to round out the design staff. Stage Manager is Eric Behnke with Mae Frankeberger as his assistant.
Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of
Oscar Wilde will be presented at the
Edward Jones Playhouse, CRT's home in Dwyer Memorial Park from August 5th - 15th. Season Benefactor McNeil and Company is joined for this production by show sponsor Overhead Door Company of Cortland and show partner M & T Bank. Parking is free, and the theatre is handicapped accessible and air conditioned. Tickets may be purchased at the CRT Box Office at 37 Franklin Street in Cortland, by calling 800-427-6160 or online at
www.cortlandrep.org.
