His Dark Materials

I loved these books when I was a kid — The Golden Compass was always on my bedside table — and so this adaptation was a particular passion project for me. Originally produced by the National Theatre with a massive set, tons of money, and over forty actors, the show is a beast to stage. My production of it went the other direction: nine actors, with nothing but a tree and a bench. The actors puppeteered their own “daemons”, animals that accompany each character, and the entire company helped create the various fantasy worlds of the play, ultimately opening the actual windows of the theater to escape the Land of the Dead. The play (like the novels) embraces growing up as a necessary part of life, not an evil to be avoided — a rare and powerful message for the student actors.

Set by BP Houle
Costumes by Alyssa Korol
Lighting by Charlotte McPherson
Puppets by Alyssa Korol and Lizzy Chapman
Choreography by Alexa Lyons
Photos by Marc Garlasco