Something is happening Oct. 8, and there are only two people who know what.
Margaret Maurer '13 and Leandro Zaneti '12 are putting on a show in Production Workshop's Upspace. Is it a modern interpretation of Shakespeare? Is it a fun, upbeat comedy? Or perhaps a musical? That's the thing — nobody knows. This is a production unlike any other: Brown's first ever secret show.
"I had a crazy idea, and I was very aware of the fact that it was crazy," Maurer said. "I wanted to do an Upspace project that is completely secret."
"Some of the actors working with us right now still don't know what they're doing," Zaneti said.
A large portion of the actors will be members of the audience, which is limited to 10 members per performance, Maurer explained. "It's going to be interactive."
"I am personally very interested in how the performance changes depending on who is in the audience," she added. There will be six performances Oct. 8, and participants will be chosen through a lottery system different from PW's typical ticketing. Those wishing to participate must email secret.upspace.project@gmail.com before Tuesday at midnight.
Their secret is "vital for the audience's experience," Maurer said.
"It's not just for advertising, though that seems to be an added bonus," she said. "People are intrigued by what they don't know."
Both Zaneti, who has acted and designed, and Maurer, who has acted and directed, say this project is unlike anything they have participated in before. "Because of this audience interaction, it's a lot less structured in terms of process, not necessarily in product," Zaneti said.
"This is a safe environment to fail," Maurer said. "This project is going to be completely unique to this time and this place. I don't think it could be done elsewhere."
It may be a surprise birthday party, a tiger or a meth lab, they offered. The only way to find out is to go see for yourself. One clue Maurer would reveal: "It's not for the weak of heart or imagination."
