Flash Mob Caesar

THERE ARE NO SPECTATORS WHEN THE REPUBLIC FALLS. William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, interpreted for our times, in which We the People are the protagonists.

Shakespeare's original text will come to life in the context of modern social media as political intrigue and tragedy unfold. Each show will be shaped in large part by the composition and inclinations of the crowd, some of whom will be cast the day-of. This won't be a traditional sit-down show.

Engaging the audience in the action and via social media, the Parish Players aim to provoke. In the theater that is politics, what responsibility do we, the public, bear for creating the leaders who rise? How do our individual actions – or lack there of – collectively license unthinkable events? Americans hold the “voice” of the people sacrosanct, but when ​everyone​ finds a voice via social media, who is listening, and are we ready to hear what they have to say? What happens when protest turns mob?

The experimental show employs Shakespeare’s text as launchpad for a production designed to blow out the “fourthwall” of the traditional theater.

The audience will follow the action out doors and in, interacting with actors and making choices as events transpire. The remaining theater walls will fall as the crowd is invited to capture and comment on the action via social media, live video depicts story action at a remove, surveillance drones estrange us from familiar ways of seeing, and “fake news” gives rise to tragic events. Interpreted for our times, ​Flash Mob Caesar​ aims to refract rather than map our current politics.

Inspired by the “flashmob” phenomenon of surprise choreographed public performance, F​lash Mob Caesar​ takes the concept home, choreographing theater audiences to become active participants in the action and exploring how a crowd – like a flood – can “flash” into a mob.

Conceived by Samantha Davidson Green (filmmaker and instructor, Dartmouth Film & Media Studies) who co-directs with Richard Waterhouse (actor/director and instructor, Brown University Theater Department), this multimedia production takes a mob to create.

In anticipation of F​lash Mob Caesar t​he Parish Players will present ​FREE community events:

Saturday, July 6 @6:30pm ~ Twitter for the Politically Perplexed:

Disoriented by our political discourse in the era of Twitter and other social media? Want to learn what a # (hashtag) is, what to do with it, and why it’s relevant to J​ ulius Caesar​ and the future of our republic? Bring your picnic dinner, questions and confusion to a dinner conversation with Richard A. Davidson, Communications Director in the U.S. Senate & Quinton Law, Field Organizer for Cory Booker 2020

Sunday, July 14 @ 10:30a-12p ~ TOGA YOGA with Portia Brutus & Cast/Crew of ​Flash Mob Caesar

Bring your yoga mat (toga optional :) for Yoga led by our very own Katie Cawley (aka Portia Brutus). By donation to support Parish Players.

Keep an eye out for some actual CAESAR flash mobbing as cast drop into local farmers’ markets and 4th of July parades leading up to the show – taking theater, like politics, back to the streets.

The Parish Players, located at the Eclipse Grange Theater in Thetford, VT, is a not-for-profit community theatre, dedicated to presenting quality theatre created by people who participate for the love of the work.