Photo Flash: 1984 At 59E59 Theater

Critically acclaimed Godlight Theatre Company, "which has made a specialty of exuberant, muscular adaptations of literate science fiction" (New York Times), tackles George Orwell's classic novel 1984.

1984 is a chronicle of one man's struggle against the ubiquitous, menacing state power Big Brother that tries to dictate nearly every aspect of human life. A classic in dystopian fiction and a trenchant political satire, 1984 resonates with themes as salient today as they were when this novel was first written.

1984 features Katherine Boynton (Fahrenheit 451, Church at the Public), Enid Cortes (Blindness), Gregory Konow (Fahrenheit 451, Slaughterhouse Five), Deanna McGovern (Slaughterhouse Five), Dustin Olson (Slaughterhouse Five), Nick Paglino (Blindness, Slaughterhouse Five), Aaron Paternoster (Slaughterhouse Five), Michael Shimkin (Blindness and Slaughterhouse Five), Scarlett Thiele (Neighborhood Playhouse), Michael Tranzilli (Fahrenheit 451, Slaughterhouse Five)
and Sammy Tunis (Futurity at the Zipper).Two-time Drama Desk Award nominee Maruti Evans returns to Godlight to design the sets, lights and costumes for the production. Sound design and original music is by Andrew Recinos. Choreography is by Hachi Yu (Fosse, National Tour). The Production Stage Manager is Amy Acorn.

Joe Tantalo (director) has been the Artistic Director of Godlight Theatre Company since 1994. Off-Broadway: Jim Carroll'sThe Basketball Diaries (Workshop 59E59 Theaters adapted by Matt Pelfrey), Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five Or: The Children's Crusade (New York Premiere 59E59 Theaters adapted by Eric Simonson), Jose Saramago's Blindness (American Premiere 59E59 Theaters), Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 (New York Premiere 59E59 Theaters/East to Edinburgh),
Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange (59E59 Theaters/East to Edinburgh). International: Fahrenheit 451 (2006 Edinburgh Festival Fringe), A Clockwork Orange (2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe). Ensemble Studio Theatre: A Clockwork Orange, Only We Who Guard The Mystery
Shall Be Unhappy, The Adventures of Ashman, The Trial of George W., Brown, Big Al, Beds are Made to Lie In. Upcoming: Jim Carroll's The Basketball Diaries (World Premiere). In development: Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes, John Ball's In the Heat of the Night, Lee Stringer's Grand Central Winter, Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72, and Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five (a new musical with Jed Feuer). He was named Director of the Year (2002) by nytheatre.com.

Alan Lyddiard (adaptor) is an award-winning theatre director, producer and writer. His work has been seen in London, Paris, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Jerusalem, New York and the Philippines, as well as many other cities throughout Europe and the United Kingdom. He is currently working on a number of film and theatre projects including writing and directing the feature film Going Somewhere and the theatrical adaptation of George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London. For over 12 years, he was Artistic Director of the Northern Stage Ensemble in Newcastle upon Tyne, where he premiered his adaptations of Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm as well as his adaptation of A Clockwork Orange. He served as Artistic Director of Scotland's TAG Theatre Company and was Associate Director of Dundee Repertory Theatre.

Photos by Lucas Noonan