2008 Woodie Awards
Zombies to infest airwaves
By: Joe Borlik
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: News
If you know Alisa Cwiek or Lucus Keppel, you shouldn't be surprised the duo is active in theater.
Cwiek, a Mount Pleasant sophomore and Keppel, a West Bloomfield alumnus, used to dress like zombies and freak out drunken people downtown.
They'll be using dialogue, music and sound effects to captivate listeners with two audio plays on air on 91.5 FM at noon Sunday.
"(This will be) a great opportunity for imagination," Cwiek said.
Cwiek will make her directoral debut with "Blackout" by Eric Ferguson and "Philosophy and Cabbage" by Lawrence Jones. Keppel, who has been involved with audio theater for three years, pitched the idea.
"Blackout" is a story of a married couple and one of their friends that get trapped in an elevator. The bad situation turns worse as dark secrets are revealed.
"It turns out the woman is cheating on her husband with the friend," said Neil Saha, a White Lake senior playing the back-stabbing friend.
If that wasn't bad enough, once they get out of the elevator, they learn the world has become infested with zombies.
"It's like a dramatic soap opera with a zombie apocalypse," Cwiek said. "I had fabulous zombies that were really willing to scream. The cast was great."
Hartland freshman Sara Kirkpatrick said she enjoyed playing the cheating wife.
"My character is mean, seductive and sarcastic," Kirkpatrick said.
"Philosophy and Cabbage," doesn't have any zombies, but does awaken a humorous political debate between an Indian cab driver and a New York passenger.
"The woman is a political advertiser and atheist," Cwiek said. "Her views on politics, religion, capitalism and the economy are much different from that of the cabbie."
Zachary Morrell, a Traverse City senior who played the Indian cabbie, said the audio play gave him a good chance to show off his skills with accents.
"Indian accents are hard. The only real reference I had was 'Apu' from 'The Simpsons.' I had to watch videos of real Indians to get it down."
Since audio theater is based on vocal expressions, the performers must be able to really lift the words off the page.
"This allows you to show more range," Keppel said. "I've played a 60-year-old butler before. The only thing that limits you is your voice."
The absence of visuals requires audience members to open their imagination.
"TV only can show one director's interpretation. Audio plays allow the director and the audience to create something together," Keppel said.
news@cm-life.com
Cwiek, a Mount Pleasant sophomore and Keppel, a West Bloomfield alumnus, used to dress like zombies and freak out drunken people downtown.
They'll be using dialogue, music and sound effects to captivate listeners with two audio plays on air on 91.5 FM at noon Sunday.
"(This will be) a great opportunity for imagination," Cwiek said.
Cwiek will make her directoral debut with "Blackout" by Eric Ferguson and "Philosophy and Cabbage" by Lawrence Jones. Keppel, who has been involved with audio theater for three years, pitched the idea.
"Blackout" is a story of a married couple and one of their friends that get trapped in an elevator. The bad situation turns worse as dark secrets are revealed.
"It turns out the woman is cheating on her husband with the friend," said Neil Saha, a White Lake senior playing the back-stabbing friend.
If that wasn't bad enough, once they get out of the elevator, they learn the world has become infested with zombies.
"It's like a dramatic soap opera with a zombie apocalypse," Cwiek said. "I had fabulous zombies that were really willing to scream. The cast was great."
Hartland freshman Sara Kirkpatrick said she enjoyed playing the cheating wife.
"My character is mean, seductive and sarcastic," Kirkpatrick said.
"Philosophy and Cabbage," doesn't have any zombies, but does awaken a humorous political debate between an Indian cab driver and a New York passenger.
"The woman is a political advertiser and atheist," Cwiek said. "Her views on politics, religion, capitalism and the economy are much different from that of the cabbie."
Zachary Morrell, a Traverse City senior who played the Indian cabbie, said the audio play gave him a good chance to show off his skills with accents.
"Indian accents are hard. The only real reference I had was 'Apu' from 'The Simpsons.' I had to watch videos of real Indians to get it down."
Since audio theater is based on vocal expressions, the performers must be able to really lift the words off the page.
"This allows you to show more range," Keppel said. "I've played a 60-year-old butler before. The only thing that limits you is your voice."
The absence of visuals requires audience members to open their imagination.
"TV only can show one director's interpretation. Audio plays allow the director and the audience to create something together," Keppel said.
news@cm-life.com
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