Concoction of improv and audience participation will result in ... well, who knows?
If you want interactive entertainment, you don’t have to go digital.
Go live.
Macon University Theatre is serving up a fantasy concoction of improvisational theater, audience participation, role-playing style action and a veteran actor/game master in its production of “Vengeance and Veritas.”
“It combines live role-play gaming with theater where actors get to make choices in character for an ongoing adventure,” said Scot J. Mann, associate professor of communication and theater arts at Mercer. “Plus, if they choose to, audience members get to take part in short situations along the way. It’s an unusual and unique evening’s entertainment.”
Mann said the Mercer student cast of nine is fully costumed and audience participants get props and bits of costuming also. He said the audience is encouraged to provide background noises for situations and shout suggestions about actor decisions as the evening progresses and choices mount.
He said for that reason, a number of usual theatrical well-wishes may not be useful at “Vengeance and Veritas.” Such as the well-worn theater adage for success: break a leg.
Mann said actors’ characters may live or die during the performance, and if they die they’re dead — they don’t come back. “It adds to the risk and the importance of action choices and what advice they take,” he said.
Audience members coming to the 100-plus seat theater who don’t want to directly participate are welcome to simply observe and enjoy. Even so, Mann said anyone coming is welcome to dress in costume for the occasion or don their favorite cosplay attire.
“Though it’s improv, there’s high production value and there will no doubt be lots of fun each night,” he said. “The intrigue will come from Martin Noyes who’s the game master and driving force behind ‘Vengeance and Veritas.’ Martin is a professional actor and experienced game master and has done ‘Vengeance and Veritas’ before on a smaller scale. This will be the largest production thus far.”
Though costumes may make it appear as a children’s play, Mann said those coming should be aware the performance could take turns suitable for mature audiences.
“It’s definitely high-energy improv,” he said. “We had an improv class last semester and some of our actors were in that, but a public performance of this sort takes it to a different level. It’s critical they take to heart the basics of improv and one is to accept your challenge then move forward while staying completely true to character. If they don’t do that, things break down fast. I think our cast will learn more about improv here in live performance than in a class. And the audience is sure to enjoy it.”
“Vengeance and Veritas”
Where: Tattnall Square Center for the Arts, 1096 College St.
When: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 23-25, Aug. 31, Sept. 1; 2:30 p.m. Aug. 26, Sept. 2
Cost: $10-$15
Information and tickets: tattnall.mercer.edu/theatre, tickets.mercer.edu
This story was originally published August 22, 2018 at 6:51 PM.