The director of the Marblehead Little Theatres’ upcoming production of Bertolt Brecht’s “Arturo Ui,” Greg Mancusi-Ungaro talks about the play before its opening next Friday.
“This show has been in my head since 1978,” Mancusi-Ungaro said, saying that he had the pleasure of working as a staff member at the Williamstown Theatre Festival where it had run that year.
Mancusi-Ungaro said that the story that is told in “Arturo Ui” is powerful.
“It’s a show that tells a story that you have to tell over and over again about the ease with which a corrupt leader can seize democracy, can seize control of really the people,” Mancusi-Ungaro said. “..the show stayed with me.”
Mancusi-Ungaro said that “Arturo Ui” is a show which needs a particular theatre which is “adventurous,” as the show itself is also adventurous.
While Mancusi-Ungaro has worked in varying capacities at the Marblehead Little Theatre over the years, this will be his first time in the director’s chair there.
“It’s been interesting to direct again,” Mancusi-Ungaro said, adding that the relationships are different as director.
“It’s a much more intimate relationship. It’s a much more involved relationship. It’s a much more continuous relationship and that’s very nice — it’s very, very fulfilling,” Mancusi-Ungaro said.
Mancusi-Ungaro said that the story that’s told in “Arturo Ui’ is one which can’t be told enough, comparing it to Shakespeare’s “Richard III” — “a leader who’s willing to do anything to gain power,” he said.
As the play’s opening night is approaching, Mancusi-Ungaro has a lot on his plate.
Last Saturday, the production began its tech period, he said.
“I like shows that have long tech periods — it means the actors get more rest.” “It means we get more time to think, more time to refine,” he said.
Mancusi-Ungaro said that the cast will likely run the show themselves prior to opening night around five or six times, during which time the non-acting elements will start to come to together and be integrated.
“…The tech period is to integrate all of the non acting elements. So the scenery has come together, and there’s some pieces of the scenery which we operate — the costumes — we started to see costumes on Saturday, the lighting is up. It’s hung, it’s focused, and we started to see cues,” he said.
Mancusi-Ungaro said that last Saturday, the sound for the show had mixed, with preliminary cues having been uploaded into a program.
Mancusi-Ungaro hopes that the show is affecting and impactful for audiences, and praised the cast, most of whom are local to the North Shore area — “We’re very lucky to have a superb cast…” he said.
Mancusi-Ungaro additionally noted the show’s out of the ordinary run length at the theatre, running for three weekends.
Mancusi-Ungaro said that he believes that during the length of a show, it evolves.
“It’s not the same show closing night, but it is opening night,” he said.
As the actors do more and more of the show, they are able to “…have really mined their characters to a level that they don’t get to in the kind of sprint style shows that are often presented by community theaters,” he said, thanking the Marblehead Little Theatre, “so, we’re very lucky to have been given the support of running three weekends.”
Mancusi-Ungaro said that the show is mature, with mature themes, and that the show “pulls no punches.”
Berthold Brecht’s “Arturo Ui” will have its opening night on Sept. 27, running every weekend through Oct. 13.
