In 1922, American poet Robert Frost wrote “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” In 2014, professor John Lebret and students in his CMST 3900 class will usher in the Christmas spirit by adapting the poem into a variety show play titled “On a Snowy Evening.”
HopKins Black Box’s advisory board has discussed putting on a holiday show for years, so when it came time to discuss this season’s productions, Lebret decided now would be a good time to have a Christmas-themed play.
“I started thinking about what says ‘holiday’ to me, and I instantly thought of the poem by Robert Frost,” Lebret said. “It has always reminded me of the Christmas season, and I could instantly see how much fun it would be to adapt.”
The class creates and discovers new forms of communication, such as puppets, which can be shared with a range of people. All 25 students have worked with the play at some stage in its progress, and nine students will act in “On a Snowy Evening,” performing a minstrel type of show.
Through poems, skits and songs such as “‘Nuttin for Christmas,” Lebret hopes to bring a little early cheer to those in attendance. References to popular Christmas pieces such as “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and fairytale “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” are made in the play.
At one point in the play, cast members recite lines from “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” reminding the audience where the show’s inspiration comes from. The four stanza poem focuses on the divide humans have between what they want and what they have to do.
Lebret focuses more on the prior, driving the importance of the entertaining aspects that come with the holiday season.
Every year after Thanksgiving, Lebret’s brother begins covering his house in Christmas decorations. He said this ritual reminded him of how useful used items could be and how to maximize space, resulting in his determination to keep the show in Black Box.
“We wanted to make a show that was not just for the department or a handful of students,” Lebret said. “Because of how I feel about the Black Box, I wanted a show that could attract all audiences and here we are.”
In a low-tech effort, the cast uses regular objects to create its special effects. At one point in the production, a disco ball reflects light around Black Box, establishing a snow globe effect.
Lebret also put an emphasis on crowd integration for “On a Snowy Evening.” Actors will interact with the front row audience members during one skit, and attendees will be immersed in the aforementioned snowball effect as well.
Performance studies graduate student Cynthia Sampson said the show has been an educational experience for the students as they learned how to collaborate and brainstorm ways to create an efficient production.
“The best part about this show is that we take everyday items and turn them into something new,” said actor and communication studies senior Marissa Voros. “It challenges the imagination to see an object as bigger than what it is.”
Lebret and his cast agreed that Christmas and imagination go hand-in-hand. By creating a production that supports the childlike excitement that comes with the holiday, he’s confident Christmas will be a little more enjoyable for the Baton Rouge community.
You can reach Joshua Jackson on Twitter @Joshua_Jackson_.