Wednesday, 4/23/97 Notes and Letters Music notes enhance
traditional drama in the UCLA School of Theater, Film and
Television’s musical adaptation of ‘The Scarlet Letter.’
By Kathleen Rhames Daily Bruin Contributor lthough "The Scarlet
Letter" may not have impressed audiences as a film starring Demi
Moore, it just may work as a musical directed by Michael Hackett.
"When Nathanial Hawthorne first heard that his novel was being
turned into a drama in New York, he was skeptical," says Hackett,
who directs the UCLA production opening Thursday at the Studio
Theater in McGowan Hall. "But he thought it would make a great
opera, and I think the reason why he thought this was because he
knew that singing could reveal certain emotions that extend beyond
the meaning of words." In a musical drama that takes a contemporary
audience back to a time of repressed passion and religious
hypocrisy, "The Scarlet Letter" is the tale of Hester Prynne, a
young woman forced to wear the letter "A" on her chest for having
an adulterous affair with the town minister, the Rev. Arthur
Dimmesdale. The piece is only 70 minutes long and is played "in the
round," which enhances the already intense plot for audiences who
know the story. Chairs are stacked steeply around the stage, giving
the audience the feeling that they are sitting on a jury. The mood
and senses of location are created primarily by lighting. While the
novel takes place in 17th-century Puritan America, amidst what may
seem to a modern audience as a sea of outdated social issues, many
feel that what intrigued people 300 years ago still applies today.
"It’s a great story to tell in this day and age because it really
shows the strength and power of a woman’s character and how you can
survive anything within that character," says third-year theater
arts student Stacy Rothman, who plays Hester Prynne. "The idea of a
woman going through this horrible punishment for so many years of
her life and how she eventually comes out on top is quite a story."
It is a story that is told uniquely through a blend of dialogue and
music. Both Hackett and Rothman state that the musical numbers are
not in the typical Broadway style, but it is rather a mix of
traditional and contemporary elements that gives the piece its own
distinct sound. Written specifically for this particular cast by
renowned composer Nathan Birnbaum, the music combines melodic,
lyrical passages with a modern style that is used as both
background music as well as for singing. "It’s beyond realism,"
Rothman says. "It’s not what you would consider a mainstream
musical or the type of story where people just break into song. The
music can be very scary and emotional at times, adding a new
dimension to the story that Nathanial Hawthorne originally wanted
to tell." As a theater arts student, Rothman admits that having to
sing was the hardest part of preparing for "The Scarlet Letter."
Because the theater and music departments are separate majors,
students within the two rarely have a chance to interact. This is
perhaps the reason UCLA has produced so few musicals in the past.
But Hackett encouraged combining music and drama in "The Scarlet
Letter" by casting fourth-year music and voice performance student
Mario Rocha as Dimmesdale. Rocha, who has performed both at UCLA
and professionally for Disney, is quick to point out how much he
has learned from working on the show. "I’ve learned so much from
Michael Hackett," Rocha says. "Most of my experience has been with
musicals that require a lot of big action and gestures. This show
revolves around details and acting. Nothing is thrown away. You
need to get the emotions across to tell the story – it’s not just
about making somebody laugh." Rocha and Rothman are the lead
characters, but Hackett explains that "The Scarlet Letter" is
really an ensemble work. Creating the Puritan community that judges
the character of Hester Prynne is crucial to the intensity driving
the plot. To help build this sense of community, the cast worked on
characterization and movement skills with a Polish mime artist as
well as hearing analytical lectures on Nathanial Hawthorne’s work
by professors in the English department. "When you’re doing musical
theater, you have to be aware of your fellow performers," Hackett
says. "You have to have a sense of precision and teamwork. Every
member of the company is responsible for creating the community
that contributes to the tragedy of this work." Rothman agrees, and
hopes audiences will come away viewing "The Scarlet Letter" in a
new light. "It’s an unconventional theater piece, and it really has
a lot to say," Rothman says. "It’s not so obviously said, but if
they take the time to open their minds and absorb what we have on
stage, I think people will get a lot out of it." THEATER: The UCLA
School of Theater, Film and Television presents "The Scarlet
Letter" at the Studio Theater in MacGowan 1340 beginning Thursday
at 8 p.m. through Sunday at 2 p.m. Admission is free. Performances
are currently sold out, but limited public rush tickets are
available 10 minutes before curtain. For more information, call
825-2582. GENEVIEVE LIANG/Daily Bruin Hester Prynne (Stacy Rothman)
and her daughter Pearl (Heather Raines) plead for mercy in "The
Scarlet Letter." (Above) Hester Prynne (Stacy Rothman) embraces
Roger Chillingworth (Nathan Baesel) in "The Scarlet Letter."
(Right) Nathan Baesel plays Roger Chillingworth in "The Scarlet
Letter." GENEVIEVE LIANG/Daily Bruin Nathan Baesel plays Rodger
Chillingworth in "The Scarlet Letter."