Oct. 31, 2025 - 9:00am
Somewhere in the bleak, windswept countryside of England in the 19th century, two sisters live in a decaying manor, far removed from industrious life. When a young cheerful governess arrives unexpectedly from the big city, the sisters end up on a journey down a dark and twisted reality filled with yearning for love and an obsession with power. This is the plot of “The Moors,” the fall play presented by University Theatre.
“I can’t wait to see an environment of moorlands come alive in a theatrical way — when exciting design choices merge with dynamic actor choices,” said Director Tricia Rodley, a senior instructor in the Department of Theatre Arts. “The time period is also fluid, so audiences will experience both a window into ‘1840s…ish’ and a reflection back into the now.”
As with any good story, the characters’ motives aren’t always clear. Take for instance the arrival of a governess where there is no child to care for, and a love story between a downhearted mastiff and a moor-hen.
The award-winning play, written by Jen Silverman, draws heavily on themes presented in the works of acclaimed novelists and sisters, Emily and Charlotte Brontë, mirroring modern gothic ideas of isolation and desire.
The play is in the intimate Hope Theatre in the Miller Theatre Complex on the University of Oregon Eugene campus. Set and lighting designers took advantage of the black-box-style theatre to create an intricate Victorian-style set for the manor and to switch between the manor and the moors outside the home.
"This show was so fun to light! We really enjoyed the opportunity to work in a nontraditional space and use the lighting to subtly communicate with the audience,” said Pippa Frey, co-lighting designer.
But like the rest of the play, audiences can expect things to not always be what they seem in the manor and beyond.
“We made sure to emphasize the vastness of the Moors against the claustrophobic atmosphere of the house. We didn't want to let the audience feel too comfortable, and it was so much fun figuring out how to add that extra layer of ‘wrongness’ to every scene,” said Ted Martin, co-lighting designer.
The show features a six-person ensemble cast of students including: third-year Annaliese Johnson as Agatha; senior Ivy Shankle as Marjory; junior Sierra Matz as Huldey; third-year Ray Cyphers as Emilie; senior Nathan Vandehey as The Mastiff; and sophomore Violet Hamilton as Moor-Hen.
Student members of the production team include: Logan Love and Henry Mainwaring, assistant directors; Oliver Twitchell, costume designer; Ali Dittenhauser, assistant costume designer; Pippa Frey and Ted Martin, lighting designers; Genevieve Masson, assistant scenic designer; Emma-Jade Bui, properties designer; Aaralyn Reed, assistant properties designer; Makayla Meleason, sound designer; Maddi Gray, stage manager; Shynell Kellman and Audrey Opsahi, assistant stage managers; Annaliese Johnson, music director; Ocean Demmin-Ferneau, dance choreographer; Kevin Inouye, fight and intimacy coordinator; and Sam Stringham, dramaturg.
Faculty members of the production team include: Janet Rose, production manager; Jeanette deJong, costume designer; Jerry S Hooker (retired), scenic designer; and Bradley Branam, technical director.
“There are quite a few student designers, stage managers and technicians for this project. Some are taking on new production areas for the first time, which is always something to celebrate,” said Rodley. “Also, it’s a daily boost to collaborate with actors who want to meet the challenges of the play with such bravery and relish.
“Can I just say: it’s not every day you get to see a Brontë-esque story onstage that centers women AND includes a Mastiff and Moor-Hen!”
Produced by University Theatre, “The Moors” runs in the Hope Theatre on the weekends Nov. 7-23. Performances are at 7:30 p.m., with matinees Nov. 16 and 23 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available through the EMU Ticket Office. Tickets are free for students, but seating is limited and advance purchase is strongly recommended. Students are encouraged to arrive early to ensure they get a seat.
—By Jenny Brooks, College of Arts and Sciences