A change in style for 'Julius Caesar'
Jun. 25—ENID, Okla. — Caesar is sporting a bit of a different look this season.
The toga is out of fashion, the suit is in style.
Gaslight Theatre's Shakespeare in the Park this year offers a different look at "Julius Caesar," with modern touches and switch-ups with characters.
"If you saw it last time, 10 years, it's going to be very different," said director Alex Johnson, referencing the last time "Julius Caesar" was performed through Shakespeare in the Park. "The first time they did it, it was all traditional dress. Ours is a modern dress. It takes place in a modern America setting."
Johnson said the modern touches are meant to help the audience relate more to what's going on.
If You Go
"Julius Caesar"
8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Free to attend; attendees are welcome to bring chairs, blankets and refreshments
In the case of inclement weather, performances will be moved to Gaslight Theatre, 221 N. Independence.
"It hits closer to home," he said. "It's still the same play, same script, same words, we just updated the costume and the time period."
And the lessons "Julius Caesar" teaches, Johnson said, still apply to today.
"Just the dangers of being too self-righteous," he said. "No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, it's easy to think, 'I'm completely right, and whatever I do is completely right.' And the main character in our play, he does that, and everything falls apart for him. So there's no easy answers and sometimes what you think and feel is super right doesn't always lead to what you want."
Gaslight is also mixing up gender roles, so some women are playing roles originally meant for men.
"I think it's an exciting show," Johnson said. "It's kind of surprising even if you've seen it before."
Added Chris McDaniel, who plays Brutus: "If they say the production that was a decade ago, this is a completely different take on it, although it is still historically the same, the story's the same. However, this is set in a more modern, more politically charged climate that we're in now.
"So I think it's just definitely a different show. You'll see the same principles, but in a modern context."
"Julius Caesar" will be something entirely new for Mike Weatherford, who plays the title character.
"I'm the newbie; even though I've been involved in Gaslight for 44 years, this is my first Shakespearian experience," he said. "I'm always out [on the hillside] at a picnic supper with my wife, so I'm like, 'What the heck? Why didn't I do this a long time ago?'"
Joe Malan is astronomy writer and presentation editor for the Enid News & Eagle. Email him at jmalan@enidnews.com.
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