Everyman
Theoretical Project
Scenic Design: Sophie Smrcka
Costume Design: Kaelyn Marie
Sound Design: Allison Bucher
Sound Design
Everyman was originally written in the 15th century as an allegorical morality play following the life of Everyman as he tries to convince other characters, which represent worldly concepts to join him on his journey, but ultimately learns that at the time of his death, he will be left only with himself and his good deeds.
In order to appeal a story that is heavily steeped in religion and medieval sensibilities to a more modern audience, we decided to use this play to explore the universal experience of coming to terms with one's own death. In our play, Everyman is in a coma. He will walk between the real world and his unconscious dream world to demonstrate the unsettling nature of this experience. The unconscious dream world employs a psychedelic aesthetic, as the exaggerated colors, scale, and shapes help to convey the uneasiness and unfamiliarity of this journey, which all takes place in his mind in the moments before his death.