Carleton Players present Hawthorne’s “House of the Seven Gables”

The Carleton Players will present an original adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The House of the Seven Gables” on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20-21 and 27-28 at 8 p.m. in the Arena Theater at Carleton College.  Directed by Ruth Weiner, this groundbreaking Carleton production features a newly commissioned script by acclaimed playwright Barbara Field, original music by composer Hiram Titus, and set design by Tony Award-winning scenic designer John Arnone. Performances of this not-to-be-missed special production are and free and open to the public, but reservations are strongly encouraged.

“The House of the Seven Gables” tells the melodramatic tale of two families in Puritan New England amidst class struggle and materialism in the wake of the Salem Witch Trials.  An artful combination of mystery, comedy, and romance, “The House of the Seven Gables” features five student actors, each assuming various roles: senior Annelise Lawson (Berkeley, Calif.), juniors Kristen Johnson (Lubbock, Texas) and Bill White (Kaneohe, Hawaii), and freshmen John Trevino (Chicago) and John Christensen (Durango, Colo.). Sophomore Emily Edmond (Bethesda, Md.) is the production’s assistant director.

Barbara Field is an acclaimed playwright whose work has been presented in theaters across North America and Europe. She is co-founder of The Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis and served as playwright-in-residence at the Guthrie Theater for eight years. Her Guthrie adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” has charmed audiences for over 27 years.

In addition to scoring productions for The Guthrie Theater and The Children’s Theatre Company, composer and pianist Hiram Titus’ work has been performed in theater and opera productions worldwide.

John Arnone’s work in film, television and on stage has garnered significant critical acclaim, including a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and the LA Drama Critics Circle Award for his set design for the Broadway production of “The Who’s ‘Tommy.’”

In conjunction with the “House of the Seven Gables” premiere, Arnone will host a special design forum on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 4 p.m. in Leighton Hall, room 304, discussing his set designs for the stage, film and television. On Friday, Feb. 27, University of Maryland professor Robert S. Levine will speak about Carleton’s special world premiere adaptation of Hawthorne’s classic American novel.

Carleton’s adaptation of “The House of the Seven Gables” celebrates the College’s 60-year theatrical history, reflecting the institution’s ongoing commitment to the Arts. “Carleton’s Arts Initiative is focused on integrating the arts throughout the entire curriculum by bringing performance and analysis of the arts to a central place in the College experience,” says Steve Richardson, Carleton College director of the arts. “Through a combination of interdisciplinary collaborations, community partnerships, and enhanced residencies by guest artists, the Arts Initiative will achieve its goal: to make creativity as a habit of being the signature quality of a Carleton education.”

The Arena Theater is located on the corner of First and Nevada Streets in Northfield. Seating is general admission and free of charge. For reservations, call (507) 222-4471. For more information on the production and associated events, please contact Ruth Weiner at (507) 222-4440.