The theater department is putting on the production “Tell-Tale Gaze” beginning October 29. This performance gives a new form to school plays. The name “Tell-Tale Gaze” was given to the performance because audience members will be gazing through windows into each piece.

Dylan Macabitas, a musical theater senior, is the director and choreographer for certain scenes. According to Macabitas, the performance is split into 13 different scenes that are placed around the theater building. Each room is inspired by an Edgar Allen Poe poem.

“I wanted to be involved in this production because it’s so different from other productions we’ve done and that I’ve been involved with in the past,” Macabitas said. “Because it’s a devising project, I was drawn to that already because we get to just create new work and whatever it is, we’re just going to fly with it.”

Since the audience is on the outside of the building, the performance is told through music and movement. Macabites said with COVID-19, choreographing is more challenging because he can’t do hands-on learning. He said having to verbally correct people’s movements is harder, but he feels the performers are doing okay with it.

“I have the challenge to create storytelling through movement which is awesome and really fun and complicated at the same time,” Macabitas said.

Each scene is five minutes and thirty seconds. After the scene, the crew members have a minute and thirty seconds to reset everything while the audience rotates to the next scene. All the stories are separate, but some of them intertwine because Edgar Allen Poe’s poems weave in and out of each other.

The theater department has been working on the production for six months. The idea started in a devising class spring quarter. Devising is a method of theater making where a group of people collaborate on an idea to create an original piece. In that class, the students started turning their ideas into a script. During fall quarter, the students started putting the performance together. 

“I think my favorite thing about being in this production is we don’t know what it’s going to be like until opening night even,” Macabitas said. “We are constantly changing things because it is devising, we are constantly taking other people’s ideas and putting them together and creating even more of a story.”

Marcus Wolf, a theater performance sophomore, plays the role of Guy De Vere. His character is a man who lost his finance, Lenore, a few months before they were about to get engaged. After her death, he starts to become furious and enraged. Lenore then comes back as a raven and takes Guy De Vere back with her.

Wolf said he wanted to get involved in the production because of  how different it is compared to normal productions.

“It’s something I have personally never done before with the devising project and I was just really excited and intrigued to be a part of it,” Wolf said.

Wolf said COVID-19 has created some difficulties, such as having to act with a mask on. Since he can’t show his facial expressions, he has to show his emotions through movements instead. Regardless of the difficulties, Wolf has enjoyed being a part of the production.

“Honestly my favorite part in any production is the people in the show,” Wolf said. “Just the cast and the crew. Everybody just works so hard and they’re just so kind, generous and everything. It is an honor to be part and with these people every day.”

Sayli Keni, a musical theater freshman, plays the role of Lenore. Keni said she wanted to be a part of the performance because she’s been doing theater since high school and really loves it.

“I’ve learned that college theater is a lot more professional than what I’ve done before, and I’ve learned that a whole bunch of people are needed to make a production,” Keni said. “I thought it was a lot before but now I’ve seen so many people during rehearsals and everything and I realize that this is a big thing.”

Keni said her favorite part about being in the production is getting to create with people again after so long of having to do it virtually.