The production cancellations rolled in, Colorado Mesa University’s classes went online, and Jeremy R. Franklin found himself at home in March with an idea.
The comedy play “Art” by Yasmina Reza that he had wanted to put on for the past couple years … why not do it now? It would have to be done at a social distance on live video and then watched by a digital audience. Would it work?
“So I called up the guys,” said Franklin, an instructor of music theatre at CMU.
The guys are Mo LaMee, who is the head of the theater arts department, and Ben Reigel, assistant professor of acting and directing.
The three of them had talked about performing “Art” as a fundraiser for the Western Colorado Center for the Arts (The Art Center), but their schedules made it an impossibility, until now.
“Art” will be recorded live and placed online for a ticketed audience on Friday, April 24.
But before rehearsals could begin, the trio of actors reached out to the royalty company. Normally, this kind of request for a video and online performance would likely have been dismissed, Franklin said.
“Within an hour they had gotten back to us with full permission,” he said. “Everything just kind of fell into place.”
Franklin, LaMee and Reigel enlisted the help of adjunct professor Jessica Jackson as director, assistant professor of scenic design Matthew Schlief as producer, and Doug Morrow, who handles much of the music for CMU’s theater productions, to offer “live music interludes from his home,” Franklin said.
Using StreamYard, “Art” will be recorded live with all those involved working from their own homes. Franklin, LaMee and Reigel will act for the eyes of computer cameras, becoming the comedy’s three characters: longtime friends Serge, Yvan and Marc.
Serge (Franklin) has spent a lot of money purchasing a piece of modern art, which horrifies Marc (Reigel) and the two argue about what constitutes art and value. They both confide in Yvan (LaMee), who finds himself caught up in their expanding disagreement.
“When you watch it, it’s pretty obvious why we were cast. The characters’ personalities reflect us individually,” said Franklin, who admitted that it has been pretty hard to get a video take in which they don’t laugh at some point.
And in keeping with the play’s name and art-related theme, ticket proceeds will benefit The Art Center, which is temporarily closed because of COVID-19.
“Art” has become an “opportunity to use our resources to help out another arts organization,” said Franklin, who also is president of The Art Center’s board of trustees.
During these times “you support your community any way you can,” he said. “This is just us doing what we can.”
Tickets for “Art” cost $10 for adults, $5 for students and can be purchased at public.gjartcenter.org/web/tickets/Art. There is no limit to the number of tickets that can be purchased.
Ticket holders will be emailed the link for a website and password to use to watch “Art” on Friday, April 24.
The play will likely run under 90 minutes and does include some strong adult language, Franklin said.
