West Linn High School Performing Arts Dept.

Caesar

Set and Lighting Design by Jon Ares.

March 2015.

By William Shakespeare/Adapted by Steven Beckingham. Directed by Steven Beckingham. Costume Design by Grace O’Malley.

The director’s vision was an environment of urban dystopia, in the late 1970’s, a la the cult film “The Warriors.” The youthful gang culture finds itself breaking into two factions, when some feel their leader may be getting power-hungry.  The production was performed in our Black Box Studio Theatre, in the (near) round, which afforded an excellent and intimate opportunity to showcase Steve’s impressive fight choreography.

 Set-wise, the design concept was an imagining of this dystopian, nomadic youth as “squatters” – setting up their living and gathering spaces in whatever environment they could. An example is the “senate” being held at an abandoned produce warehouse called “Sennet Produce.”  Graffiti was used both on the set, and on the floor, as they mark their “turf.”