Starting Wednesday, Troy Foundry Theatre creates the perfect match between site and material.
They are offering an immersive theatrical production of “American Cosplay” at the John Paine Mansion at 49-2nd Avenue, downtown Troy. It plays Wednesdays to Saturdays until March 14.
The Paine Mansion is best known as The Castle and easily distinguished by its white limestone exterior. Built in 1896 it is a symbol of Troy’s Gilded Age. Because it is only open to the public for special events it is one of the city’s most intriguing buildings.
The work’s title, “American Cosplay,” is a hint of what to expect from the experience. Cosplay is defined as “someone pretending a role” or “taking on a personality disingenuously.”
The hope is that performed in The Castle it will become clear that the play is about shedding light on what we have been taught to believe about certain eras of our culture.
David Girard, the Artistic Director of Troy Foundry, points out that during the period immediately after the Civil War through 1880 the notoriously rich were called “Robber Barons”. He points out that after 1880 history softens the image of the wealthy with an invented image of a glamorous Gilded Age in which the rich became symbols of America at its finest.
Girard prefers the label Robber Barons and says that after attending “American Cosplay”, you will too.
As an aside he references the members of the Gilded Age spending their money on buildings that became monuments to their wealth.
Dripping with irony, he points out that a portion of all proceeds of “American Cosplay” will go to “The Ability Experience.” Its mission is to “empower people with disabilities and reshape the way society views disabilities.”
The production takes place on The Castle’s first floor which is filled with mahogany wood. Combined with the building’s carved cherry decor makes it the ideal setting for a private club where Gilded Age myths, among other time periods, are debunked.
Currently, thanks to the television series “The Gilded Age” there is national obsession of the era. Indeed, the City of Troy plays an exciting role in the television series. The Castle is, perhaps, the most used visual symbol to express the luxury of the era - for the privileged few.
Girard says, “Presenting ‘American Cosplay’ as an immersive experience deepens the audience’s connection to the work. It adds a palpable sense of reality to a fictional narrative.” He makes the point that the “ensemble-devised” material was developed based on authentic post-Civil War research material.
Over the eight years they have been in existence Troy Foundry has produced several shows in locations that seem specific to the material. Standouts have been “Catastrophe Carnivale” a festival of Beckett one-acts in the Gasholder Building. “The Prohibition Project” turned the ground floor of a once prosperous factory of men’s shirt collars into a 1920s Speakeasy.
“American Cosplay” is directed by Brenna Geffers, who has directed at Troy Foundry several times in the past. The format has several scenes taking place in various rooms and alcoves of the space at the same time. The audience rotates - chooses for themselves what order to see the various scenes.
Girard says, “Brenna is exceptionally adept at building work from the ground up in collaboration with performers and space.” He points out it is her sense of space that makes it possible for many people to see the same material and have a different experience.
He explains saying this is not a linear show and there is no defined resolution. Because of the information they get from each segment every member of the audience comes to their own conclusion.”
Girard again lauds Geffers and Die-Cast, the Philadelphia collaborative that developed “American Cosplay. “It takes perfect timing and coordination to tell several stories at the same time without them intruding on each other. It’s genius to have all the different non-linear stories being told seem like a whole by the end.”
So, there you have it - a play about myths set in an almost mythical setting. “American Cosplay” is at the Castle in Troy through March 14. For more information go to troyfoundrytheatre.com
Bob Goepfert is theater reviewer for the Troy Record.
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.
