Prince William (Brian Carroll) surprises
the warrior Galena (Monica Pease.)

Last Chance!

"IMMORTAL STEEL is an entertaining, original creation, capable of not only satisfying the fantasy fans in the audience with its superficial razzle-dazzle, but also giving us all something deeper to ponder on the way home."

Betti Trauth Eureka Times-Standard

Also the Featured Artist in the Eureka Reporter Spotlight section, IMMORTAL STEEL plays twice more at the HSU Gist Hall Theatre: on Friday and Saturday, December 9 and 10 at 8 p.m.

"Help? Is this what you call helping? Leading a bunch of kids and who knows how many countless others to their deaths is helping?"

"Our brother died for what he believed in!"

"Thousands lie dead here today, because of him. You are going to continue this madness? Getting revenge changes nothing!"

"But it is not revenge. It is justice!"

IMMORTAL STEEL: Fable, Fantasy, Fights (Lots of Fights) is primarily a physical theatre show, but as these lines from the student-written script suggest, it doesn't duck the issues raised by attempts to solve problems with violence.

Neither does it take sides---that's up to the audience.

IMMORTAL STEEL begins Thursday December 1 at the Gist Hall Theatre. It runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 8 for two weekends, December 1-3 and 8-10.

Tickets are $8, $5 for seniors and children. HSU students are admitted free.

IMMORTAL STEEL is directed by Jyl Hewston, and is a production of the HSU Department of Theatre, Film and Dance.

IT'S GETTING...

CLOSER AND...

CLOSER: IMMORTAL STEEL opens this coming weekend-- Thursday December 1!

IMMORTAL STEEL on the Radio

Humboldt County can hear director Jyl Hewston and several members of the IMMORTAL STEEL cast talk about the upcoming production on ARTWAVES hosted by Wendy Butler on KHSU, Tuesday November 22 at 1:30 p.m.

IMMORTAL STEEL: Fable, Fantasy, Fights--Lots of Fights begins December 1 at Humboldt State University's Gist Hall Theatre.

Immortal Steel at HSU

A King, a Queen, two kingdoms, and two swords that contain one soul...

"There are 16 actors and about 15 fights in this show, "director Jyl Hewston said, "but there is a story."

Immortal Steel: Fable. Fantasy. Fights. Lots of Fights begins with a King and Queen in conflict. When their antagonism turns deadly, their three children--- the brave, impetuous son Kale, the determined daughter Sasha and the apparently hapless younger son William---begin their quest to right an injustice.

Castor (Carter Howard) and Princess Sasha (Rachel Brink.)

This story was written by eight of the actors, all students in Hewston's Stage Combat class last spring. They began with a question (Is violence ever worth it?) and a form: the hero's journey. With the help of Joseph Campbell's study, Hero With A Thousand Faces, they examined the elements of the hero's journey found in ancient myths and adventures, as well as in more modern tales like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.

The young heroes meet other human characters, but they also encounter magical and sometimes comical creatures, like the ogres (Stonetooth, Loudface and Gravy Brain, among others) and the terrible creature called the Recluse: "an insectoid raptor---on four stilts."

Galena (Monica Pease) has the bladed advantage of Prince William (Brian Carroll.)

The Gist Theatre production will feature arena style staging, so the audience gets a close-up view of the action. Hewston promises plenty of clanging swords, crashing staffs and swinging cudgels---but no stage blood spattering over the first rows.

Within the action there are profound questions about war and meaning. "Questions for our surviving heroes," Hewston adds, "and for the audience to answer."

Princess Sasha (Rachel Brink) and mercenary soldier Castor (Carter Howard.)

The Fine Print

Parents are advised that this is a physical theatre show with lots of fights, but there is no gore or nudity, and at around 90 minutes with an intermission, it's easy on the attention span.

Because of the arena staging requiring some audience members to cross the stage to their seats, there will be no late seating permitted. And because stage combat requires precision and concentration, please, no cell phone sounds or camera flashes during performance.

Crossing swords, Galena (Monica Pease) and Prince William (Brian Carroll), Princess Sasha (Rachel Brink) and Castor (Carter Howard).

IMMORTAL STEEL
Fable.
Fantasy.
Fights.
Lots of Fights.

A physical theatre student original, will be performed at the Humboldt State University Gist Hall Theatre on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, December 1-3 and December 8-10, at 8 p.m. Directed by Jyl Hewston, and produced by HSU Dept. of Theatre, Film & Dance.

Tickets are $8, $5 children and seniors, free to HSU students. Call HSU box office at (707) 826-3928.

Princess Sasha (Rachel Brink) and Castor (Carter Howard.)

Immortal Steel at HSU: Production Credits

CAST: Jasper Anderton, Rachel Brink, Renee Carney, Brian Carroll, Barry Chin, Clayton Cook, Julee Giacomini, James Gibbons, Alex Gradine, Missy Hopper, Carter Howard, Monica Pease, Lily Riley, Julie Takagishi, Justin Takata, Aaron Waxman.

Director Jyl Hewston
Assistant Director & Stage Manager Katherine Bickford
Fight Choreographers Jasper Anderton, Monica Pease, Paul Spencer
Technical Director Jayson Mohatt
Scenic Designer Greta Welsh
Lighting Designer David West
Sound Designer Nolan Ehrstrom
Properties Designer Emily McPeck
Makeup Designer Janet Warren
Asst. Makeup Designer Jackie Smith
Assistant Stage Manager Shea Freelove
Costume Designers Kat Bruck, Julia Chase, Ashley Haubner, Samantha Haubner, Becca Thompson

Joseph Campbell's book helped student writers develop the script for the physical theatre production of IMMORTAL STEEL.

The Hero's Journey: Links

Links to sites on the Internet concerning the "hero's journey" or monomyth, and Joseph Campbell, who analyzed many mythic stories from many cultures to develop this idea. Many of these sites have further links.

Hero’s Journey
http://www.yourheroicjourney.com/Journey.shtml

http://www.cerritos.edu/fquaas/resources/English102/hero.htm

http://www.mythichero.com/what_is_mythology.htm

participatory:
http://www.apocprod.com/Pages/Hero/Hero_Main_Page.htm


diagrams
http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~sparks/heroj.html

http://ias.berkeley.edu/orias/hero/


hero’s journey in Star Wars
http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~sparks/sffilm/mmswtab.html

Buddha and the hero’s journey
http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/buddha

Joseph Campbell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Campbell