Punks, leather, and rock in the Renaissance

What would it take for you to sell your soul? In the case of Doctor Faustus, 24 years of mystical knowledge and power is sufficient. With devils and angels, a 25 ft tall set, and 'lots of leather,' Christopher Marlow's Doctor Faustus will come alive in its premiere performance this Thursday night in Balch Arena Theater.

The age-old production, which dates back to 1590, has been given a modern twist via director Downing Cless who stated that the production was "bridging the gap between the Renaissance and modern culture." Racy new-age costumes, a night club setting, far-out hairstyles, and an MC chorus all constitute modern additions to the classic play. The collective performance represents a "Moulin Rouge" type clash that is aided by a soundtrack that includes the alternative rock talent of Nine Inch Nails -- not the typical Renaissance ambiance.

Cless said that this "highly theatrical performance" includes over 200 sound and light cues intended to embellish the play - which lead actress Lisa Birnbaum pointed out is hardly "modern theater." This metamorphosis of Doctor Faustus into the 21st century is strictly the work of Cless and Assistant Director, Jenn Jarecki.

Last weekend started the initial tech rehearsals, which brought sounds, lights, and staging together for the first time. Monday night, the costumes were added to produce final touches before opening night.

In preparing for the performance of Doctor Faustus, all actors underwent a two week intensive 'Renaissance theater' workshop where they mastered their characters and refined their sense of the play.

According to Jarecki, producing a Renaissance play brings multiple opportunities to not only educate actors about Renaissance theater, but also to decipher "modern themes present within classic works."

These modern themes are presented through acting that visibly portrays the action of the play, even though the lines themselves are in Renaissance language and might sometimes be difficult for a modern audience to decipher.

Graham Outerbridge plays Doctor Faustus -- a character that Cless describes as a "foolish figure who sells his soul intentionally for sweet pleasures," and captures over 50 percent of the lines. "I think there is a bit of Faustus in everybody -- a bit of that person who wants it all," Outerbridge said.

Lisa Birnbaum, who starred in last year's A Little Night Music and Twelfth Night, plays Mephistopheles (written as a male role), a devil whose job is to capture Faustus's soul and carry it off to hell. When speaking of the difficulties of her role, Birnbaum joked "it's really hard to be androgynous in three-inch heals." On a more serious note, she added that her character flirts with "The Renaissance idea of hell... hell is everywhere; you get what you make of it."

Assistant Director Jenn Jarecki stated unequivocally that Faustus "is a classic play with modern themes."

In reference to what insights the play provided her, Jarecki said that is "exasperated what I already knew," with regards to elements of greed and self promotion prevalent throughout American society.

One of the principle goals of the directors was "to express how in each and every scene excess is manifested," said Jarecki. This is executed through minor characters grappling for self promotion and the common overriding theme of Faustus wanting it all.

Through Cless's contextualization of the themes of Faustus via a night club setting, he brings unfamiliar language to familiar themes. It is a tragic comedy, in which Cless aims to bring out the more comic parts. Cless makes Faustus' character a "funny and pathetic guy -- a guy who gave his soul to the devil."