Tonight is opening night for the regional premiere of Wrestling Jerusalem, performed by Aaron Davidman on the PRC² stage. It may seem a simple thing to execute a one-man show, but Aaron Davidman, his California-based crew, and all of us here at PlayMakers have been working tirelessly on the heels of the holidays. There’s no such thing as a small show for us!
The set for Wrestling Jerusalem is simply a painted back drop. One actor. No costume changes. No props. So how is it that this production can capture the realities of 18 characters caught within one of the most consuming global conflicts of our lifetime? The answer lies greatly in the work of lighting designer Allen Willner and sound designer Bruno Louchouarn. “The lighting and sound design work together to create the different spaces that I travel in and inhabit,” Aaron explains to us. “The lighting shapes each moment, helping transform the space both in terms of physicality and mood. The sound design is also paramount to this production, creating an audio landscape, sometimes of the realistic sounds of place, other times more ethereal for mood or emotional or spiritual tone.”
With these elements in place, the work each night of course falls primarily on Aaron’s shoulders.
“The mental focus and concentration that is demanded of me is profound, and the physical endurance of this particular piece–90 minutes without pause—is very challenging. But it is the topic itself that has been the most challenge to wrestle with, so to speak.”
Though he is alone onstage, Aaron did not work alone on the production. “My director Michael John Garcés and I worked very closely together—he was a wonderful dramaturg—and he helped find the performative modes that keep the piece moving and very theatrical.”
We are proud to be Aaron’s first stop on his national tour. Don’t miss your chance to see it here! Click here for more info or call our box office at 919.962.PLAY (7529).