They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

Dramatization Milica Konstatinovic

Directing Boris Todorovic

Choreography Milos Sofrenovic

Composer Janja Loncar                                        

Set Design Milica Stankovic

Assistant Set Designer Marija Timotic

Costume Designer Aleksandar Kovacevic

Lector Olga Marinkovic

 

CHARACTERS

Robert Syverten................................. Andrija Danicic

Gloria Beatty....................................... Violeta Goldman

James Bates....................................... Stevan Piale

Ruby Bates.......................................... Lidija Cvetic

Joel Gerard.........................................  Milos Milic

Alice Tomplin.........................................Iskra Brajovic

Rocky Gravo..........................................Radomir Nikolic

Rollo Pitters...........................................Sasa Joksimovic

Mrs. Laydon...........................................Dragica Ristanovic

 

Stage Manager: Ana Prokic
Organizer: Vlastimir Repic
Stage Master: Milan Ciric
Audio Realization: Dusan Arskin
Lighting Realization: Vladimir Krunic
Video Realization Zvonimir Jelusic
Make-up and Hairstyle: Mirjana Rakic
Wardrobe: Tanja Vuksanovic and Miladin Pavicevic

Workshop equipment realization: Opera and Theatre Madlenianum

Preparing for the new performance has begun in the Opera and Theatre “Madlenianum”. The word is about a drama-dancing project, “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They” and the audience will be able to see the premiere of it on 28th November (the first revival is on 2nd December). This interesting project of the young team of authors, led by a playwright Milica Konstantinovic, a director Boris Todorovic and a choreographer Milos Sofrenovic, is the winner on the competition of the Young theater creators that was for the first time opened in Madlenianum in February this year. The members of the team of authors are also Janja Loncar- a composer, Milica Stankovic- a set designer and Aleksandar Kovacevic- a costume designer.

The acting ensemble is formed in June, after a four-day audition and it consists of Violeta Goldman, Andrija Danicic, Stevan Piale, Lidija Cvetic, Milos Milic, Iskra Brajovic, Radomir Nikolic, Sasa Joksimovic and Dragica Ristanovic.

Drama template for the performance “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” is based on the same named novel by Horace McCoy from 1935. The theme of the novel is a dance marathon which was popular in that period. The winner of the marathon would get prize money, which meant that a couple had to endure for about 2500 hours of continuous dancing. During those marathons in suburbs of Hollywood, where people were completely dehumanized, Ginger Rogers and Fred Aster “were dancing beneath the stars while the magic of Hollywood was glowing in their eyes, waking up all the false promises”.

 The Director of the performance Boris Todorovic says: “We are not as incorruptible as we think and that is why one should be cautious in preserving humanity in crisis, because future generations shall judge us, not by how we acted when things were going well, but how we treated each other when they weren’t”. During the rehearsals of the ensemble, which sparkles with the whirling strength, positive energy and imagination, Boris Todorovic together with his associates creates a theatrical essay that is certainly to concern a contemporary viewer, since social depression, described by Horace McCay in his legendary novel unfortunately, has still many familiarities with the reality we live in. The play does not give an answer to the question who won in a dance marathon. It offers viewers an opportunity to see the light the losers shine with.