Play rocks lyrics of the '80s

by Maggie Ybarra

Daily Lobo

In Tricklock Company's latest pet project, a young woman is cursed to speak in the lyrics of four female rock stars: Stevie Nicks, Joan Jett, Debbie Harry and Pat Benatar.

Director Summer Olson said the idea for "Belladonna" evolved from a solo project into an ensemble production.

"The original idea came from Juli Hendron," she said. "She's a company member, one of the founding members of Tricklock, and she had the idea for the story a couple of years ago."

"Belladonna" will be performed at Theatre X in Popejoy Hall on Friday and Saturday.

"Belladonna" is about a young woman who witnesses the kidnapping of her scientist father after he has invented a potion that gives unlimited power to the person who drinks it. During the kidnapping, Belladonna is inflicted by the "Curse of the Four Witches Tongues" and forced to speak in '80s lyrics for the remainder of the play.

Olson said actors in the ensemble group were interested in Hendron's idea and altered it from a simple solo project to a complex collaborative project.

"I would send people away in groups to rehearse scenes and rewrite them and rework them," she said. "So in the end, it was a real collaborative process."

In the original version of the play, Olson said Hendron used only lyrics by Nicks to convey Belladonna's plight.

"Now we use lyrics from 'Call Me' by Blondie and 'Heart of Glass' and 'Bad Reputation' by Jett," she said. "So all those familiar choruses are featured."

In "Belladonna," the lead character is played by many actors.

"We're an ensemble company, and we often create shows that have a really ensemble cast which means that everybody has a really heavy role," she said. "And in this show, most people have double and triple roles, and people are wearing masks. It's a mask show."

Chad Brummett, director of marketing for Tricklock, said he enjoys being involved in the artistic vision and marketing strategies of Tricklock.

"We do a variety of different editorial campaigns - ad purchase campaigns, word-of-mouth campaigns," he said. "We try as many different ways as possible to reach our audience and try to bring people into a theater."

Creative plays like "Belladonna" are the primary way Tricklock Company attracts an audience. Promoting cheap admission prices for students is another.

Olson said students on a budget can participate in a last-minute ticket rush before the show begins.

"If you show up five minutes before the curtain rises every night with a student ID, you can get a ticket for $5," she said. "So, if you're willing to risk it and wait to the last minute, you can get in for five bucks."

Olson said one of the interesting things about "Belladonna" has been how some people don't recognize any of the lyrics.

"It doesn't really, at the end, matter that you can place the songs or not - but that you can be amused by the way she can only sing these songs," she said.

"Belladonna: A

Twisted Rock 'n' Roll Fairy Tale

(Nightmare)"

Theatre X, UNM

Runs through Dec. 2

Friday, Saturday

8 p.m.

Sunday

6 p.m.