Julius Caesar
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Robert Ramirez

​
​Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre
Reynolds Performance Hall
June 23rd, 2017 - July 9th, 2017

Scenic Design: Tara Houston
Costume Design: Natalie Loveland
Lighting Design: Greg Freeman
Sound Design: Brandon Reed
 ​Photos taken courtesy of Eric White.

About The Play

In this Shakespearean classic, a group of conspirators can not accept that Julius Caesar has amassed the amount of power that he has. Together they convince his dearest friend Mark Antony to join in their assassination plot to prevent him from gaining too much power. After the deed has been done, overcome with grief, Mark Antony drives the conspirators out of Rome. Together with the ghost of Caesar on his side, he rages a civil war with the conspirators. The wager of who gets to rule Rome is on as war, death, and grief rages on.

The Sound Design

Caesar's Death

When the conspirators are together to plot Caesar's death, an eerie tone foreshadows. This returns for Caesar's death, but quickly escalates the moment he is stabbed. Strings and reeds are introduced to help add a horror-movie vibe. Each stab is punctuated with a sharp sound, leading up to Brutus's final stab, which is perhaps the most hurtful. We are in silence as we hear the famous quote, "Et tu Brute."

The Ghost of Caesar

As Brutus falls asleep listening to the music that reminds him of his lost friend, the ghost of Caesar arrives to warn him of his visit to Philippi. Earlier in the play we learn to associate opera with Caesar. As Brutus slips into a dream-like state, an ethereal wobble guides him into what may be a world beyond the living. The music has slowed down layered with an eerie drone. Caesar's ghost speaks in several pitched layers to add an otherworldly vibe and intensity. Brutus is then sucked back to reality like nothing happened.


​A Drink for the Conspirators

Earlier in the play, as the conspirators are starting to formulate their plan, they decide to meet at an inconspicuous place. Robert chose to set this scene in a bar on a stormy night to help add character as well as provide an easier transition into Calpurnia's nightmare in the next scene. The storm brings us into the bar with, "The Chain," by Fleetwood Mac to help allude to a shady bar. Once we are set we then transition inside of the bar.


​Modern Warfare

For the civil war scenes in the second half of the play, we used modern war sounds and scenery to help make it feel more current in our own time period. A multi-channeled surround system was used to fully encompass the audience right in the middle of the action.