All the kings men ...

OSU's University Theatre kicks off its season with the politically charged, thought provoking drama "The King of the United States."

By: Aleks Cherednichenko

Posted: 11/10/06

"The king is dead!" Yet the cast of this head-scratch-inducing play is alive and well. This fall, the Oregon State University Theatre is presenting its audience with a politically charged production of Jean-Claude van Itallie's "The King of the United States."

The play was written in 1972 to examine political process in America and the responsibilities we as citizens hold within that process.

"I wanted to put on a play that was relevant to the society we live in today," said Marion O. Rossi Jr., director of the production. The abstract style of the musical leaves room for interpretation by individual audience members. "The play is as much a critique of our political process as it is of the audience," Rossi said.

The stage setting is simple, consisting only of different sized boxes and a backdrop resembling the Lincoln Memorial.

George Caldwell, scenic and lighting designer for the play, said the minimalist approach to stage production was a mutual agreement between the director and himself.

"The different levels of boxes serve as a dramatic element to accentuate each character's identity," he said.

The stage set is in constant motion, paralleling the ever-changing rhythm of the play. Two television screens are incorporated into the stage setting. Cast members are projected onto the screen while reading their monologues during several points in the play. "We wanted to give the stage a feel of a television studio, where everything is staged." Caldwell said.

The stage production is full of metaphors, from the Roosevelts'-fireside-chats rocking chair to the Lincoln Memorial-like "throne" that the king occupies. The play is a wonderful portrayal of the debacle that is our political process.

The idea behind the set was abstract art. The product of abstract pop culture art appeals to every individual because it can be interpreted differently by each person. The beauty of this play is that there are

no wrong interpretations of its message. You may come out of the theatre perplexed, but you will not be wrong - a win-win situation.

The relevance of the play is striking in today's political culture, considering the script was written more than 30 years ago. The play drips with satire about politicians' abilities to manipulate media in order to promote a certain image to the public. "We are trying to draw the difference between appearance and reality," Rossi said. The distinction is made clear through a particular scene in which a list of all things a king must be is read off by cast members. "Smile, smile, smile!" shouts the cast.

"We are the king of the United States!"

The play's message resounds through the unanimous voice of the cast: we are all ultimately responsible for the political process because we are the political process. "We get what we deserve. We deserve what we get."

The king sits on his throne, a top hat adorning his head, against the backdrop of the Lincoln Memorial, with an eerie resemblance to the monument itself. "The problem with politicians today is that they rely solely on the image that's been constructed through the media," Caldwell said. Even great politicians like Lincoln realized that "you can fool some people some of the time, but not all people all the time."

I guess the current administration needs to brush up on history.

Check your political opinions at the door - this play is for people from all points of the political spectrum. Sit back, relax and prepare to draw your own conclusions. "The King of the United States" is showing Nov. 9-11 and 16-18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Withycombe Hall main theatre. Admission for the show is $9 general, $7 seniors and $5 students.