Let There Be Light

‘Retrograde’ starts from different perspective

Cole Wimpee
Cole Wimpee

Director Cole Wimpee says the concept for his show, "Retrograde," premiering at Backspace (541 W. Meadow St.) at 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday, came out of a collaboration with University of Arkansas lighting designer Emily Clarkson.

"Typically, the lighting design is the final stage of a creative process when it comes to theater," Wimpee says. "We realized we wanted to try an approach the other way around, where lighting design could be the spark -- or original impulse -- that drives a project's story forward and see what kind of theatrical product it might create."

FAQ

‘Retrograde’

WHEN — 8 p.m. Sunday & Monday

WHERE — Backspace, 541 W. Meadow St. in Fayetteville

COST — $5 suggested donation

INFO — www.facebook.com/ev…

Thus, "Retrograde" was born -- a theatrical experience Wimpee describes as " a live theatrical performance that uses alternative processes to explore play-making."

"A brother and sister have fled the real world in an attempt to cope with radical changes in their physiology and politics," reads the description of the show in a press release. "In their remote cabin, hiding from radio-waves and new legislation that reverses their preconceived notions of human rights, they are forced to confront their alternate methods of dealing with isolation, activism and love."

Wimpee says the innovative, lighting design-led concept was not without its particular challenges.

"Our challenge has been to take these design stories/atmospheres and lay them into a distinct and coherent storyboard for the audience to follow," says Wimpee. "We reached a middle point in the process where we knew we had a unified vision for the project, based on the worlds we were creating, but realized that the audience might appreciate more context (such as 'character specificity', 'linear narrative of plot') to hang their hats on. Finding this balance between honoring the entirety of the design impulses, while also stitching together the basic through-line story, have been our most unique challenge."

Wimpee says he feels confident that he and his design team have created a "poignant and relevant piece of theater that touches on both the very political and very personal parts of our lives."

"It's very exciting to be working with such a talented group of designers, writer, actors and crew and to be a part of an experimental process that can deliver something totally unique -- even bizarre in moments, but also hopefully very emotionally moving," he says.

-- Lara Hightower

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NAN What's Up on 03/24/2017

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