Elephant Man play has been casted: "more than a story about deformity'
Auditions for the Wright Stage fall production of Bernard Pomerance’s The Elephant Man took place Sept. 1, with about 20 students auditioning for roles in the upcoming production.
The Elephant Man is a play written by Bernard Pomerance about a severely disfigured Victorian Englishman who was part of a traveling freak show who gets taken in by a doctor. The doctor tries to teach the Elephant Man to live with dignity.
“The auditions went really well,” said Patrick Ham, director and professor in Wilbur Wright College’s Theatre and Visual Art Department. “We had a good turnout,” he added. “About 20 or so students showed up.”
Ham said the 13-member cast will include students with different backgrounds and interests. “Some of the cast members are theater majors,” he said, “while others are pursuing a different career path.”
Matthew Gibson Palama will play the lead character, Joseph “John” Merrick, also known as the “Elephant Man.” Logan Gonzales will play Dr. Frederick Treves, Merrick’s doctor.
Ham said he hopes the production will give audiences a better understanding of Merrick’s story.
“It’s more than a story about a deformity,” Ham said. “It’s a story about an intelligent man.”
The production will begin with a student matinee on Nov. 4 at 11 a.m. Evening performances will follow at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5-7.
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