By Bernard Pomeranz
Directed by Cal Turner
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Set in the late 1800s, The Elephant Man tells the story of Joseph Merrick, an Englishman whose inspirational human spirit triumphed over a debilitating and rare physical deformity.

 . . . . . . .  About  . . . . . .

   . . . .  Notes  . . .
Production credits

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Director's Corner

Dramaturg's Diary
By Dave Bremer
Playwright Bernard Pomerance has an introductory note in the script of The Elephant Man. Among other things, he discusses the quest for dignity by the play's central character, John Merrick. (One quick note here. In this article, I will refer to him as 'John,' though his actual name was Joseph.) Mr. Pomerance also discusses how any attempt to portray John Merrick as he actually was in appearance and with all his impairments (which made it extremely difficult for him to communicate at any level) would detract from the story, distract the audience, and be self-defeating to his efforts.

Bernard Pomerance considers this story to be important enough for us to experience it clearly, without any impediments. Why would the story of a single segment of someone's life, which took place in a London hospital over a hundred years ago, have relevance to us today? What can be learned from this story, told through a 20th century sensibility, that holds unchanged value for us today? Let's look at some of the historical context from John Merrick's world.

The Victorian Era and nearly the whole of the 19th century was a time of rapid, even explosive change. This was occurring in almost every facet of life. The medical and biological sciences were no exception. Things were changing so rapidly in fact that many old notions and superstitions would coexist with the new paradigms for years. There were many such held old beliefs about persons who suffered from deforming and debilitating diseases which were congenital or the result of unexplainable causes.

Persons who suffered from such maladies, especially profound cases like Merrick's, were believed to be simple-minded, possibly even primitive-minded. They were believed not to feel physical pain in the same way that 'normal' people did. They were believed to have emotional faculties, which were either greatly impaired or dangerously over stimulated and, correspondingly, their sexual and aggressive drives and triggers as well. Such unfortunates were viewed as either child-like or feral and potentially dangerous. As one London leader in medicine at the time said, they needed "Humanitarian and compassionate control in order to live safely among the community of an enlightened society."

Certain fears and concerns expressed themselves in a not well known and seldom discussed fact that all over the world there were laws and local ordinances which governed the lives of people such as John Merrick. These laws, now thankfully obsolete and repealed for the most part were collectively labeled by researchers in the 1980's as 'Ugly Laws' or 'Ugly Acts.' These laws determined when, where, how, and with whom afflicted persons could travel; where they could live or find lodging; and where they could eat, work, shop, or congregate. These laws also governed what public spaces and facilities they could use, where they could find education, entertainment, and, in some cases, whether and to whom they could marry and whether they would be allowed to procreate.

Also true to the paradoxical nature of the times, Science and Medicine began to take deep interest in these persons. The events leading up to the fateful encounter between John Merrick and Frederick Treves is of course a big part of the story. While their relationship was one of many of this nature during that time, it was this one which seized the imagination and the interest of the British public during the 1880"s. It is this case which arguably could be called the catalyst for the breaking down of old, prejudicial ideas concerning persons with deformities like John Merrick's.

Society began to discover that people like him had the same yearnings, wishes, desires as anyone else might. Society learned that their emotions and dreams were not dissimilar and that the pain they felt was as real and as deep as every man's.

What about today? We live in a period in time where things are expected to become increasingly 'tidy.' Society wants - demands in some cases - referral points and frames which put things in nice linear categories. We are the age of the 'bullet points' for all of our information and communications needs. There is a cautionary tale in John Merrick's story. It concerns the nature of truth.

We are beginning to forget the concept of what truth really is. Truth does not lie solely in the bare facts of things. What is needed to find truth is to also know the context of things. Anyone who has sat and appreciated a full moon or a sunrise or sunset knows what this means. The bare facts and data coupled with the context in which they lie are elements, which we need for us to see, to discern, and to appreciate what we find in life. Fact by itself tells us the cost of things; combined with context it tells the value of things.

The challenge to us is that this takes time. This is not popular in an age that increasingly demands speed, brevity, and tidiness from the world. This process doesn't always fit neatly into the current worldview. Yet maybe that is just the point. Maybe we need to stop and look around sometimes to see what we overlook.

Cast

Frederick Treves Clark Schirle
Carr Gomm Charles Berglund
Pinhead #1, Duchess Kelli Kubicki
Pinhead #2, Countess, Nurse Sandwich Stephanie Bullwinkel
Pinhead #3, Princess Alexandra Stephanie Williams
Ross, Bishop Walsham How Rob Cramer
John Merrick Mike Janke

Mrs. Kendal Kathy Kusper
Man at Fairground, Lord John John Mueller
Conductor, Porter Rick Pavia

Production Credits

Director Cal Turner
Stage Manager Jon Mills
Technical Director Troy Lee Brasuell, Jr.
Assistant Stage Manager Cassandra Johnson Locke
Costume Designer Lori D'Asta
Costume Crew Chief Linda Bremer
Costume Crew Mary Burian, Nicole D'Asta, Adele Davis, Chris Gavlin, Debby Mills, Mary O'Dowd, Susan Remy, Denise Rose, Jane Stacy, Julie Suarez, Dorothy Tressler, Nancy Whitlock
Dialect Coach Jacqueline Kennerley
Dramaturg Dave Bremer
Hospitality Chair Carol Clarke
Hospitality Crew Andy Busch, Darla Goudeau, Carol Hudson, Dennis Hudson, Jo Jones, Donna Marie Kanak, Bill Love, Joyce Love, Roxanne Moreno, Norma Naselli, Arlene Page, Charron Traut, Dick Traut
Lighting Designer Keith Burzinski
Lighting Crew Chief Dave Swain
Makeup Designer Bridget Bittman
Makeup Crew Michaellene Barry, Peg Callaghan, Carol Dapogny, Charlie Egan, Diane Oppenheim
Properties Designer Jim Hannigan
Properties Crew Brian Centers, Mark Cunningham, Dennis Hudson, Pat Huth, Sue Kuehnhold, Arlene Page, Jack Phillips, Lori B. Proksa, Betsy Stiles
Set Construction Chairs Grace Abrahamson, Mark Favoino
Set Construction Crew Lee Brasuell, Joe Delaloye, George Dempsey, Angelee Favoino, Jeff Frommelt, Mark Hewitt, Harry Hultgren, Mike Huthk, Tom Squillo
Set Designer and Set Dressing Dan Marema
Set Painting Chair Sandy Squillo
Set Painting Crew Kathy Kusper, Dan Marema, Susan Remy, Liz Steele, Betsy Stiles
Sound Designer Jack Calvert
Sound Crew Terry Locke
Projections Chair Judy DiVita
Projections Crew Linda Auer, Angelee Johns Favoino, Heinz Karplus, Carol Suda
Box Office Chair Mary Ellen Schutt
House Manager Chair Bill Wilson
House Managers Dave Bremer, Brian Centers, Joe Delaloye, Kevin McGrath, Mike Mallon, Bill Rotz, Noel Smith, Denny Wise
Front Row Center flyer Joe Petrolis
Group Sales Co-Chairs Ceri Hartnett, Betsy Stiles
Poster Distribution Kathleen Kusper
Production Coordinator Linda Roberts
Program Advertising Peggy Carlson
Publicity Chair Bonnie Hilton
Program Editor Stephanie Williams
Program Crew Marion J. Reis
Website Judy DiVita

Director's Corner
by Cal Turner

As you may already be aware, Joseph Carey Merrick, also known as the Elephant Man, was a 19th-century Englishman who suffered disfigurement from what is now believed to have been two separate diseases, Proteus Syndrome and Neuro-fibromatosis (NF1). Though his agony was almost unbearable, he remained incredibly courageous and dignified. One hundred and fourteen years after his death, Joseph's legacy continues, as a perfect example of bravery, dignity, and love for his fellow men, even in the midst of adversity.

During my research in preparing to direct The Elephant Man, I came across the Joseph Carey Merrick Tribute Website. The homepage of this site states "This site is dedicated to the life and times of Joseph Carey Merrick, (otherwise known as 'The Elephant Man'), probably the most courageous person ever to have lived."
Upon a recent visit to this website I discovered a new link to the website for the Friends of Joseph Carey Merrick Foundation.

This foundation is producing a documentary of Joseph's life: the man, the illness, and his passions, including certain aspects not previously emphasized in prior unrelated documentaries, for example, Joseph's holidays to the countryside, his great love of nature, his childlike innocence, the letter to Miss Maturin and his time in the Leicester Workhouse.

To learn more about Joseph I recommend these sites. Simply do a search for 'Joseph Carey Merrick' or 'The Elephant Man.'

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