Submitted. Gallery 7 Theatre is thrilled to be presenting William Golding’s classic dystopian tale, Lord of the Flies, as their first production of the 2014/2015 Refined by Fire theatre season. Adapted for the stage by Nigel Williams, the play opens November 7th at the theatre’s new venue, The Abbotsford Arts Centre.
In the midst of nuclear war, an airplane carrying English school boys crashes on a deserted island. Forced to fend for themselves, the survivors attempt to scrape together a civilized society governed by simple rules and regulations. Afflicted by fear of an evil beast lurking on the island, and as the lust for power and control takes over, the cadre’s fragile paradise quickly disintegrates into savage and violent anarchy. Marking the 60th anniversary of William Golding’s celebrated novel, this provocative production explores humanity’s dark capacity for evil when fear, power and control are left unchecked.
“Lord of the Flies is among the first novels of the dystopian genre and is similar in tone and theme to stories like The Hunger Games, Divergent and even The Giver,” explains Ken Hildebrandt, the plays director. “With that in mind, we decided to set our production in the not-so-distant future so as to as to underscore how the themes of the book written 60 years ago are just as relevant to us today.”
“What excites me most about this story is that there is so much to be mined thematically, which fits very well with our mandate to bring audiences thought-provoking theatre that explores the spiritual, relational and social aspects of the human experience,” continues Hildebrandt. “Though the play is dark, it does have moments of humour, and we’re looking forward to maximizing the technical resources available at the Abbotsford Arts Centre to create a dynamic and exciting experience. “
From left to right: Matt Veenbaas, Philip Dyck, Michael McIntyre and Attila Davalovsky perform in Gallery 7 Theatre’s production of Lord of the Flies. Photo by Dianna Lewis, Creative Memory Studios.
Playing the central character of Ralph is Philip Dyck. Dyck’s other performances with Gallery 7 Theatre include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Having Hope at Home. Ralph’s arch rival and nemesis, Jack, is played by Matt Veenbaas, who last appeared in The Hiding Place. Piggy, the long-suffering advocate for societal law and order, is played by Michael McIntyre, while the brooding and dangerous Roger is played by newcomer, Attila Davalovsky.
Nathan Unger and Dylan Schroeder play Sam N’ Eric respectively while Bailey Tonn takes on the role of Simon. Rounding out the cast are Andrew Dyck, Mark Hammer, Evan Rachwalski and Michael Witmer. The role of the naval officer is played by veteran performer, Ruth Kult.
Directing Lord of the Flies is Gallery 7 Theatre’s Executive/Artistic Director, Ken Hildebrandt. Set design is by Rafaella Rabinovich, costume design is by Dani DeJong, lighting design is by Phil Miguel and sound design is by Ron Jackson. Stage manager is Kenzie Hall and production photographer is Dianna Lewis of Creative Memory Studios.
Lord of the Flies runs November 7 & 8, 13 – 15, 2014 at 7:30 PM with discount matinees on November 8 & 15 at 2:00 PM at the Abbotsford Arts Centre, 2329 Crescent Way, Abbotsford. Tickets for evening performances are $23 Adults, $21 Students & Seniors, $20 Groups (8+) and $15 for Children 12 & under. Tickets for matinee performances are $18 General Admission and $15 Children 12 & under. They can be purchased at House of James, 2743 Emerson Street, Abbotsford (1-800-665-8828 or 604-852-3701) or online at www.gallery7theatre.com. Season passes for the entire 2014/2015 theatre season are also available at discounts of up to 25% off regular ticket prices.
Lord of the Flies comes with an audience advisory that there is occasional violence and minimal crude language important to the honest portrayal of the events and characters.