The CSUN Theatre Department performed their interpretation of Dialogues of the Carmelites from Nov. 21 to 24 in the Campus Theatre located in Nordhoff Hall.
As the audience took their seats, they were transported to France in 1974. The set consisted of buildings and resting areas that acted as streets.
The audience was full of family members, friends and members of the Drama department.
The entire performance was sung in French, with English subtitles displayed above the stage for the audience to follow.
This performance was based on an incident that occurred on July 17, 1794, where 16 members of the Carmel of Compiegne, France were executed by a guillotine. This performance followed the lives of Carmelite nuns in France during the French Revolution, who dealt with having to choose between faith or their lives.
Audience members of “Dialogues of the Carmelites” enjoyed a musical performance that dealt with the lives of nuns and their issues with revolutionaries. The performance was staged as an opera.
The duration of the show was 2 hours and 30 minutes, with a 20-minute intermission.
The cast varied depending on the day. Cast A performed on Nov. 21 and 23 while Cast B performed on Nov. 22 and 24. The two casts featured different actors, each bringing their own unique interpretations to the characters. These two casts brought together a riveting performance that combined their characters and themselves.
The first act followed a young aristocrat Blanche De La Force, played by Leilah Teilon and Fantasia Guerra-Rivera, as she decides to join the Carmelite Order as a nun. It is there that she meets Sister Constance, played by Lynn Wang and Ana Colesnicov, who suggests that Blanche and herself offer their lives in return for the Old Prioress’s healing. The Old Prioress, played by Kristin McGinnis, suddenly dies and entrusts Blanche to be cared for by Mere Marie. Mere Marie, played by Sophia Sawoski and Sophia Paz, cares for Blanche as well as the rest of the nuns.
In Act 2, the nuns decided to take a vote to decide whether or not they become martyrs. After the vote is delayed, Blanche decides to flee home in a wave of emotion. Mere Marie then goes to Blanche’s home to convince her to rejoin her sisters. Soon after, Blanche hears that all the nuns got arrested. The act concluded with the nuns being guillotined and Blanche later joining her sister’s fate.
Each actor portrayed their role in ways that connected themselves to their characters. Many actors added expressive facial expressions for the audience to better understand the storyline and the impact certain scenarios had on the characters. The actors’ voices built a connection between the audience and the storyline. Every actor sang their lines in a French accent, which made it easier for the audience to build the connection.
The performance was a new experience that I have yet to experience from the Theatre Department. It was surprising when I found out that the entire performance was sung in French. However, while observing the conflicts and dynamics between characters, I began to build connections with certain characters.
“I loved the musicality of the performance; it was something I haven’t had the chance to experience before,” said Grace Bastida.
The CSUN Orchestra performed the music at this event. The music performed captivated the audience’s attention and helped enhance the performance.
CSUN Theatre Department will also host their interpretation of “Romeo and Juliet” as their next drama production from Feb. 21 to March 1 in the Little Theatre located in Nordhoff Hall.
