Clayton State Theatre Presents “Everything Goes, Episode One: Big Max Takes a Cab”

This November, the Clayton State Theatre brings audiences an original stage production, “Everything Goes, Episode One: Big Max Takes a Cab” – an entirely student developed musical featuring an all-student cast.

Preview nights for “Everything Goes” are Nov. 9 and 10 with the musical running Nov. 11, Nov. 12 and Nov. 13, all at 8 p.m. in the Clayton State Theatre, located in room G132 in the University’s Arts & Sciences building.. General admission is $5. Clayton State students receive free admission with their LakerCard.

Fourteen Clayton State Theatre students began developing “Everything Goes, Episode One: Big Max Takes a Cab” at the beginning of fall semester 2010. Under the tutelage of Clayton State Theatre Artistic Director Phillip DePoy, the students created the play’s title, characters, plot, and other elements through improvisation. The action centers on a 1920s speakeasy and features jazz numbers from that time period.

“The students did research on music in the 1920s, built a rough outline and improvised lines in class to create the script,” shares DePoy, who led theatre students in a similar creative process in 2005 when Clayton State Theatre produced its first student developed play, “Coffee Girl in a World of Good and Evil.” “This play, although weirdly close in theme to 1920s theatre, is really a parody that explores the foolishness and delight of that era of musical.”

Students in the cast of “Everything Goes, Episode One: Big Max Takes a Cab” include Brian Bryant, Kristy Bryant, Tiffany McClanahan, Bryan Meadows, Adrienne Garcia, Kathryn Hayes, LaDonna Williams, Tristan Santiago, Anissa Sivik, Chelisa Williams, Cody Wilson, and Angel Woods. Clayton State senior and Fayetteville native Kalani Fraser – who graduates with her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Clayton State this December – is stage manager. Clayton State theatre graduate Marie Banks is assistant stage manager for the production.

Also assisting in the production of “Everything Goes, Episode One: Big Max Takes a Cab” is Clayton State Director of Opera Dr. Kurt-Alexander Zeller, choreographer Nicole Livieratos and pianist and Clayton State alumnus Seth Davis. Adrienne Garcia, a cast member, created the murals as part of an internship.

“The process of developing a play drives some actors crazy, but other actors buy into it whole-heartedly,” says DePoy, recalling the support he received from the Clayton State student actors during both original Clayton State pieces in which he has been part. In addition to writing numerous plays himself, DePoy was the artistic director at Atlanta’s Theatrical Outfit when the theatre company developed a popular version of the British epic “Beowulf.”

For more information on “Everything Goes, Episode One: Big Max Takes a Cab,” contact DePoy at PhillipDePoy@clayton.edu or call (678) 466-4715.