Carlee WrightBACK ON STAGE — History, adventure and drama return to the stage in a special limited engagement, 3-show fundraiser run of Terra Nova
In the winter of 1911-12, five Englishmen and five Norwegians raced each other to the bottom of the Earth. Only the Norwegians returned. Terra Nova is the story of the Englishmen.
Immerse yourself in history, adventure and drama as Pentacle Theater presents the award-winning play Terra Nova. Written by Ted Tally, the story documents the journey of Capt. Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated race to the South Pole through a combination of fantasy and realism.
“It is kind of a memory play. It takes place in his [Capt. Scott’s] head. It starts with him dying — like life flashing before your eyes — and jumps back in time. The play itself is really beautiful,” said Director Scott Ramp.
It is a show not unfamiliar to Scott, who first performed in it in 1983, then directed it in 2012. It is a play he has loved forever.
“The set is really abstract, but the costumes and props are hyperrealistic,” said Scott. “When you see it, you will understand why this [play] isn’t done very often. You can’t just call up a prop rental house. Everything usually has to be built from scratch.”
Fortunately for Pentacle that was not an issue. Scott already had the props — handmade, historically accurate and functional props. He created them for the professional 2012 production he directed after exploring an exhibit about the expedition at the Natural History Museum in London. He has held them in storage since, just waiting for another opportunity to put them to use.
With his commitment to the production, Scott’s vision for the play was determined — “I wanted ultimate accuracy.”
And for someone with his credentials, it wasn’t too difficult. Scott has a long list of notable credits from actor to teacher to make-up artist. He taught at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Hollywood, designed makeup for numerous productions at The Old Globe in San Diego, including the world premiere of Meteor Shower with Steve Martin and Camp David with Richard Thomas, and appeared on Season 5 of the SyFy television series Face/Off.
“Make-up artists and prop builders, we are never satisfied. We are always trying to find that last little detail. Maybe no one will notice, but it makes all the difference in the world to be accurate,” said Scott. This includes 1910 cameras, glass syringes, old labels and more. “Everything is aged, weathered and remade so well.”
Rounding out the scene Scott is crafting with the props are historically accurate costumes by Karen McCarty as well as dynamic make-up effects by Scott.
“In an intimate theater, it’s all about the details,” he said.
The cast includes:
- Chris Benham as Capt. Robert Falcon Scott
- Tim Jaeger as Roald Amundsen
- Kaelynn Kappes as Kathleen Bruce Scott
- Travis Brown as Lawrence “Titus” Oates
- Robert Sim as Edward Wilson
- Zach DuFault as Henry “Birdie” Bowers
- Ken Hermens as Petty Officer Edgar “Taff” Evans
Terra Nova
When: 7:30 p.m. Feb 9 and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Feb 11
Where: Pentacle Theatre, 324 52nd Ave. NW
Tickets: $17 to $33. Buy tickets at tickets.penatacletheatre.org. Frontline healthcare workers and people who hold an Oregon Trail Card are eligible for a 50 percent discount.
This story originally ran in Press Play Salem issue 14 (Summer 2022)
The Instigator
