For a man who doesn't come from a standard theater background, the Alchemist Theatre's Aaron Kopec certainly has a solid grasp of the dramatic. His productions at the Alchemist never shy away from herculean challenges. His latest show, Faust: An Evening at the Mephisto Theatre, continues in that tradition. Kopec's annual series of autumnal shows exhibits a love of the darker side of human endeavors. A drama about Jack the Ripper was followed by a drama about Dracula that, in turn, was followed by a drama about Chicago serial killer Herman Mudgett.
Each subsequent show has been slightly more ambitious than the one that preceded it. For Ripper, actresses dressed as gaslight prostitutes guided audience members to their seats via a rear entrance to the theater. Last year's show saw audiences enter the theater through a complex route that wound through the basement of the building.
Kopec's latest production marries a long, complex script with drama that travels throughout the building. Whereas last year's show used the basement to help establish the mood, this year's production involves the entire building for the body of the play. Scenes have been written for multiple stages, and the action runs concurrently throughout the space. In effect, Kopec has written several interlocking plays that also stand alone. The audience is free to move from room to room, scene to scene, as the drama progresses. With a huge cast inhabiting the entire building, this is one of the most ambitious productions of the theater season.
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Alchemist Theatre's Faust: An Evening at the Mephisto Theatre runs Sept. 29-Oct. 29. To reserve tickets, go to www.alchemisttheatre.com.
Theater Happenings
- Next week, the Milwaukee Rep opens its season at the Stiemke Studio with Dael Orlandersmith's romantic drama Yellowman. May Adrales will direct the show, which runs Sept. 28-Nov. 13. For ticket reservations, call 414-224-9490.
- In Tandem Theatre continues its season with Jeffrey Hatcher's Mrs. Mannerly, a comic memoir of a class in manners that he took when he was 9 years old. The show runs Oct. 7-23 at the Tenth Street Theatre. For ticket reservations, call 414-271-1371.
