Mixed Magic Theatre's Artistic Director Ricardo Pitts-Wiley has one whale of a goal to encourage 10,000 people statewide to read or re-read Herman Melville's great American novel. The Moby Dick Project's mission is to "bring together high school students, artists, scholars, members of the business community, and English, history, and literature teachers to read and discuss this great American novel and attend Mixed Magic Theatre's stage adaptation of the novel."

		This stage adaptation presents two interlocking stories, one about Ahab's epic quest for the White Whale, the second adapted from the novel and developed by Pitts-Wiley, is a story about inner-city youth and a different kind of White Menace: the power of cocaine and the drug culture surrounding it. The language of Ahab and his crew is taken directly from the novel, while the language of the urban crew is a blend of hip-hop and street slang that carries forward the actions and motivations of Melville's dramatic and colorful characters. The set design for Moby Dick is by internationally renowned designer and Pawtucket native Morris Nathanson, with visual elements from artist and author Robert Del Tredici's book based on Moby Dick, Floodgates of the Wonderworld. The show's costume designer is Susan Bergeron, with sound design by Abdul Mateen and Ahmed Abdullah. The cast for Moby Dick features Tom Hurdle as Ahab, Scott Levine as Starbuck, Mauro Canepa as Ishmael, Daniel James Webster as Queequeg/Fedallah, Jeannie Carson as Elijah, Jim Brown as Father Mapple, Gregory Johnson as Tashtego, Paul Williams as Daggoo, Ed Nason as Stubb, Bill Pett as Flask and Blackstone Academy student Dalwayne Ashley as Pip.
Moby Dick Mini Poster Buy at AllPosters.com

The young company features Central High seniors Yosa Yon and Rudy Cabrera, Josue Rivera from the Providence Academy of International Studies (PAIS), Kaiamesha Thomas from Tolman High School, and Corey Renaud and Esteban Rojas, also students at the Blackstone Academy.

The Moby Dick Project also features a symposium taking place at the Pawtucket Armory May 12 and 13. For complete information on The Moby Dick Play and for information about The Moby Dick Symposium call 401. 475.6675 or visit www.mixedmagictheatre.org

The Moby Dick Project, written and directed by Ricardo Pitts-Wiley, runs May 10th - 13th 7:30 pm at the Pawtucket Armory, 172 Exchange Street. Tickets are $15, $12 for Seniors and $7 for Students. - -

Readers Comments About This Page:

Be the first!
Add Your Comment!