Julius Caesar
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Robert Ramirez
Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre
Reynolds Performance Hall
June 23rd - July 9th, 2017
Production Team:
Scenic Design: Tara Houston
Costume Design: Natalie Loveland
Lighting Design: Greg Freeman
Sound Design: Brandon Reed
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.
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.
Photos taken courtesy of Eric White
Our take on Julius Caesar took a modern approach, taking place in a dystopian and futuristic setting. With this modern edge we also drew inspirations from the era that the play was written. This blend of modern and ancient created an authentic world that the production team thrived and created an immersive world.
Our director Robert Ramirez wanted to direct this way, to reflect political events that were happening at the time. We wanted to not only reflect the growing distrust of our current political cabinet, but show how the quest for power can drive anyone mad. Majority of the cast was also portrayed by women to reflect how the quest of power effects all genders, while also putting the patriarchy on the cutting board as much as Caesar. This blend mentioned earlier allowed the production team to experiment with Roman influences, but use modern tools to keep it relatable.
The sound design for the production served as more the glue that helped molded all these different ideas and thoughts together. Music used for various transitions, preshow, and intermission was influenced by the Roman era, while other sounds were modern such as the war in Act 5 using modern artillery sounds. To help convey the internal thoughts of the conspirators and Caesar’s fate, ambient synth pads were used at low frequency and level to have the audience feel the tension rather than hear it. Particular plot points were enhanced with abstract sounds and atmosphere to help make them more impactful and really hit home to the audience. This was accomplished using an immersive system design that featured in addition to the mains, surrounds, a subwoofer over the audience, and a center speaker to source from the stage.
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 Sound Design
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
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.