BRENTON NEWCOMB
Special to The Leader
The department of theater and dance will present a stage production for the American novel, “The Grapes of Wrath” in Marvel Theater.
The stage production, which holds very true to the novel by John Steinbeck in themes and plot, was written by Frank Galati and was a winner of a 1990 Tony Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award.
The story is set during the Great Depression and shows the life of many Americans through the eyes of the Joad family, who are constantly moving and searching for a home.
The Walter Gloor Mainstage Series of the play will be directed by Daniel Lendzian and feature numerous interesting devices and designs that bring this powerful story to life.
The story is told with the help of 27 actors and over 100 costumes.
Lendzian said, “Most of the text comes from Steinbeck’s novel,” and this reflects in the way characters have to “negotiate the world” through spoken language, as there was no tech availability.
In the play, which takes place during the Dust Bowl, the Joads, a family of about 12, is travelling around and living out of a truck as they search for a home and employment.
For the production, the set crew built a full-size truck with wheels modeled after a Hudson or Model T truck of the time period. Not only can the truck hold a family in it, but it can be pushed around the stage, controlled from the inside and essentially service the whole family.
Along with this gigantic prop, the set will also feature such things as a barbershop quintet, an onstage storm, a river and a square dance.
The relevance of the themes and issues in the play are still important topics today.
“It’s a world novel,” said Lendzian. “There are people in the world who are having to migrate their homes because of particular circumstances … [and are] not met with the same generosity that we’d like to see for the Joads.”
Ezra Lyons, who plays Tom Joad, also has much to say on these universal themes displayed throughout the play, especially generosity.
Lyons said, “it’s so cool to see people in the hardest toughest places giving food to neighbors, when they’re starving [themselves].”
He elaborates on a character who represents this kindness.
Floyd plays a humble role in the play by showing the Joad family the ropes at the Hooverville that they have just moved into.
“He shows them generosity, shows them the ropes and also protects them from a cop,” said Lyons.
One of the most challenging parts of the play for Lyons is “The heavy topics that it focuses on. Hope, the lack thereof, community and death.”
For him, it can sometimes become a bit difficult going through this gripping story, especially when he really steps into the role.
The Walter Gloor Mainstage Series production of “The Grapes of Wrath” will show Oct. 18 – 26.
Tickets are $25 for the general public and $12 for students and children.