Mount Vernon Lisbon Community Theater will be presenting “The Revolutionists” March 7 through 10 at First Street Community Center stage in Mount Vernon. Tickets are available in advance at mvlct.com or at the door, with show times at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and a 2 p.m. matinee show Sunday.
“The Revolutionists” is a play by Lauren Gunderson set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. The play features playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen Marie Antoinette and Haitain rebel Marianne Angelle.
Jora Miller plays Marianne Angelle in the production.
Miller said this is her first time back on stage in more than 10 years, and heard about this show from friend Kami Zbanek-Hill.
“All the people in this show are so creative,” Miller said. “I’ve found the most love and acceptance in working with this cast.”
Miller said that the majority of cast and crew working on this show is all women, and they’re telling the stories of historical figures during the French revolution.
“It has a lot of fun breaking the fourth wall at times,” Miller said.
Miller said she has enjoyed bringing Angelle to life, especially the complicated nature of the role and playing an empowered Black women in the show whose focus has been working to abolish slavery.
One of the biggest challenges she has had in the role was a decision on her character’s wardrobe choice, if Angelle would wear a Tignon, which is a head scarf that Black women who were liberated were asked to wear in certain places.
“As someone who was fighting to abolish slavery, I thought it was fitting that she would make the choice not to wear a Tignon,” Miller said.
Director Carrie Pozdol said that she was approached to direct the show earlier this year.
“I have admired so many of the cast members in this show,” Pozdol said. “I’ve also really liked Lauren Guderson’s work as a playwright, so it was a great chance to collaborate and bring this show to life.”
Pozdol said that she has loved the environment of the show.
The biggest challenge has been a few of the technical details of the show, especially with a lower budget.
“There are a lot of ways to do things in the show, and we’re finding the best way that will work,” Pozdol said.
Pozdol recommends coming to see the show because it’s funny and runs the whole gamut of emotions.
“It feels really relevant to our current time,” Pozdol said. “It has a lot of fun with the four people at it’s center and has fun with the subject matter.”
“There are a lot of great laughs,” Miller said. “You also get a chance to learn about some history and historical figures while having some good laughs.”
About the Elliott Studio Series
Kami Zbanek Hill, publicity and promotions director for MVLCT, explained that this production of “The Revolutionists” is the first of two shows in what the theater is calling the Elliott Studio Series this year. The next show in the series is “No Exit,” slated for May 16-19.
“We’d as a theater group had noticed that a lot of smaller shows, those shows which many actors crave to be a part of, hadn’t really bounced back following COVID-19 pandemic,” Zbanek-Hill said. “We know it can be hard to get people to come out and see a show when it isn’t a flashy musical, but these are things that actors and directors really want to see happen.”
With MVLCT having a designated home, it gives them the opportunity to host these shows with a small cast and crew, and a budget including royalties not to exceed $1,500. Cast should be 10 people or less.
“Any director would be able to use our costumes, use our space for the shows and practices, but this is theater on a shoestring budget,” Zbanek-Hill said. “The focus is back on the actors.”
Zbanek-Hill said that the hope is to have two additional shows in the Elliott Series next year.
“Not every theater has the opportunity to do this type of show, but because we have our own stage and home, we’re able to do so,” Zbanek-Hill said.
Applications for next year’s Elliott Studio Series can be made on mvlct.com.