WWC Theater Crew Debuts Metamorphosis
Clover Davis | April 18, 2024
Warren Wilson College (WWC) has ended the 2023-2024 year with a bang. The Theater Crew and a class run by theater director Candace Taylor have come together to construct a puzzle of abstract ideas for their spring play, “Metamorphosis,” by Mary Zimmerman.
The class, created by Taylor, was used to amplify creative minds alongside the Theater Crew.
“In the past, we've done very literal plays, whereas Metamorphosis is very whimsical and imaginative,” Will Aubury, a cast member and Theater Crew member, explained. “This cast is also quite a bit larger than the casts of last year's plays, which is an amusing contrast. I’m excited to explore a different kind of theater. Most of my theater experience is with Shakespeare — plus the two contemporary plays we did last year. So this is a whole new experience for me.”
The show is Greek mythology mixed with Welcome-to-Palm-Springs vibes. The crew worked diligently and quickly alongside the class, pitching ideas and world-building.
“Each of our backgrounds and skills come together in a fun and exciting work environment,” student crew leader and workshop manager Miguel Vila said. “The best part of building the set of Metamorphoses has been the platform; large construction challenges are always my favorite; a large part of the process is that the vision changes with input, so, as rehearsals progressed, each actor got to add their inputs and see the set change because of them.”
The process for creating this show began in spring 2023 with a meeting between Taylor, retired Technical Director Kris Hernandez, and set designer Jeannie Regan.
“The idea for the production was to design something a little lowbrow and fun and a bit silly, an aesthetic that people could have a lot of creative input in,” Kris explained. “The students advocated for something that would appeal to the wider Wilson community, gotta be queer or queer-coded, have fun, unique aesthetics, cover a wide array of timeless themes and dabble in mythology just for fun.”
Warren Wilson Theater’s show opened on Friday, April 12, and closed on Sunday, April 14. The cast and crew did excellent work, which paid off when the audience cheered every night and left with a smile. They hope to continue this new tradition of creativity and special showcases.