Brock University’s Department of Dramatic Arts has come up with an innovative way to present its fall 2020 Mainstage theatre production to live audiences in the middle of a pandemic.

Scenes from an Execution by Howard Barker runs from Friday, Oct. 30 to Saturday, Nov. 7 as free livestreamed performances viewable on the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) YouTube channel.

The production is a genre-bending feeding frenzy of high-impact theatre, art film and social media. Scenes from an Execution features the story of a 16th century punk feminist painter named Galactia who outsmarts and out-arts all other hangers-on with her ability to wield a paintbrush and her prowess with a video camera.

Taking place in an in-between pandemonium of dozens of separate performance spaces around the region and the world, Scenes from an Execution integrates the live and the recorded, and blood and paint, in a festival of entertainment. Directed by Dramatic Arts Professor and Chair David Fancy with choreography by former instructor Trevor Copp, and staging and costume design by Dramatic Arts Instructor Kelly Wolf.

The production showcases the talent and resilience of the undergraduate students in Dramatic Arts as they navigate rehearsing and performing in a new, virtual landscape. Students include Associate Director Molly Lacey; Assistant Designer Wyatt Hoskins; Dramaturge Asenia Lyall; Dance Captain Marley Mahon; Stage Manager Peter Herbert; Assistant Stage Manager Alyssa Ruddock; with audio design by James Dengate.

Performers include: Holly Hebert, Neo Moore, Jesse Cains, Jackson Wagner, Heidi Nickel, Diego Blanco, Jarrod Vandenbogaerd, Celine Zamidar, Sammie Marett, Chloe Petrou, Maiya Irwin, Isaiah Alton, Marley Mahon and Thea Van Loon.

Bringing the production to life are Dramatic Arts production staff including Production Manager Brian Cumberland, Head of Wardrobe Roberta Doylend, Technical Director Gavin Fearon and Head of Stage Construction Ed Harris. Students working in production include Assistant Technical Director Sid Malcolm, Sound Operator Alex Sykes and Wardrobe Assistant Julian Corlett.

The production is free to view, however space is limited and reservations are required through YouTube and can be booked at brocku.universitytickets.com

Livestreamed performances can be viewed at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, Saturday, Oct. 31, Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, as well as a matinee on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 2 p.m.