Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, “The Scarlet Letter,” may be a challenge for every ninth grader, but the Harding theatre department will share their take on the story with the community this weekend and next at the Ulrey Performing Arts Center.
The production is senior Jenna Light’s senior seminar project, in which she plays the shunned outcast Hester Prynne. Light said that, because there is no stage adaptation of the “The Scarlet Letter” and because the story is in public domain, the cast and producers of the show have undertaken the challenge of writing the adaptation themselves.
“We have really been able to tailor this show, line by line, to be exactly the way we want it,” Light said.
Faced with the sin of bearing an illegitimate child, Prynne finds herself torn between the ideals of raising her daughter and wanting to be with the love of her life, the Reverend Dimmesdale, played by Light’s off-stage boyfriend, sophomore Patrick Jones.
Jones said his real-life relationship with Light allows him to react honestly to the painful moments in the show.
“Sometimes I drop out of character and see (Light), not Hester, because I understand what Dimmesdale would be feeling,” Jones said.
Light said it has been a challenge to portray a character who is dealing with so many stressors at one time. Light said throughout the story Prynne is always looking out for her daughter, Pearl, who is the constant representation of her sin and the reminder of why she can not be with the man she loves.
“Hester deals with having to be a mother, wanting to be with her lover, dealing with a vengeful ex-husband who has it out for (Dimmesdale) — and there are very few moments in the show where she is faced with only one of these things at once,” Light said.
The show is directed by Robin Miller, chair of the theatre department. Miller said the stage adaptation of “The Scarlet Letter” illustrates universal concepts that will hopefully focus on presenting the people and the storyline in ways that the novel cannot.
“What we have here is a story about not only brokenness, but it’s a story about what happens when people find that they have made a mistake, how they choose to handle it and how it plays out over the course of their lives,” Miller said.
While it may not be the kind of show that moves one to tears, Jones said that audiences should expect to walk away thinking about the different ways everyone deals with sin.
“There may be a chuckle here and there, but mostly this show just says ‘here are emotions, feel them,'” Jones said.
The show runs Feb. 20-21 and Feb. 26-28 at 7 p.m. in the Ulrey Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $10 or free with the CAB pass.
