The Devil is a Lie
World premiere produced by Quantum Theatre Company, presented at the Frick Building
A celebration for the Voltaire company's billionaire investors-- complete with cocktails, a photo wall, and interactive polling-- gets derailed when their newly-appointed CCO Lucy (Lisa Sanaye Dring) interrupts to announce that she's the devil. She collects souls for the "firm" by offering tempting choices, and 1991 Snoop Dogg (LaTrea Rembert), who has been wormholed in to DJ the party, is next. This witty and daring Faust tale for 2023 investigates binaries of good and evil, the importance of a vote, and the cost of capitalism for people of color in America.
The media design occupies the presentation-style double screens as part of the corporate event world that the audience enters into. (The brand identity for Voltaire was created collaboratively between myself and the scenic designer Sasha Schwartz.) The polling, though initiated by Voltaire founders George (Sam Turich) and Margarita (Christine Weber), quickly gets overtaken by the devils, the audience, and the firm. The live polling system implicates all participants in the outcomes of the play, including what options are posed to which characters. At every moment, the audience must make the decision to vote, regardless of the options presented.
Written by Jennifer Chang
Directed by Kyle Haden
Projection Design: Davine Byon
Scenic and Props Design: Sasha Schwartz
Lighting Design: C. Todd Brown
Sound Design: Howard Patterson
Costume Design: Grzegorz Labuda
Photos: Beth Barbis
Stage Manager: Cory Goddard
Production Manager: Cody Spellman
Technical Specialist: Anthony Delgrosso
Technical Director: Cubbie McCrory