Next Thursday, March 27, at 8 p.m., LMU’s theatre arts program will partner with LMU Radio to bring you a live broadcast experience like no other — Tom Stoppard’s “Darkside,” a radio drama based on and inspired by Pink Floyd’s 1973 album “The Dark Side of the Moon.” “Darkside” is an abstract interpretation of the album, whose songs are woven throughout the drama, serving as the radio play’s soundtrack. Stacey Cabaj, associate chair of theatre arts and assistant professor of acting and pedagogy in the department of theatre arts and dance, described the unique genre: “Radio plays, also known as radio dramas or audio dramas, are theatrical performances told purely through sound, relying on dialogue, music, and sound effects to create an immersive listening experience.”
Tom Stoppard is a prolific and infamous playwright and screenwriter known for his idiosyncratic, existential, and sometimes absurd approach to politics and philosophy — all of which are in full force in “Darkside,” which follows a young college student, Emily, through what Stoppard calls a “thought experiment.” “Darkside is often described as a philosophical comedy that explores the landmark album’s themes of conflict, greed, and consumption, through game theory and moral dilemmas. The characters, led by Ethics Man, engage in thought experiments (like the Trolley Problem and the Prisoner’s Dilemma) and debate the philosophies of Kant, Hobbes, Nietzsche, etc.),” said Cabaj.
“Darkside” is directed by Jennifer Gerould, an MFA candidate in performance pedagogy. This semester, she met weekly with 13 undergraduate students to explore and experience the album and the script. Gerould, who has directed over 20 plays and staged readings, began her theatre career as a young actor and later went on to pursue film production, stage management, directing, and even teaching high school drama. “At LMU, MFA performance pedagogy candidates are given a lot of opportunities to teach and learn from the professors here . . . This is a radio drama that requires a very specific soundtrack to be played with the dialogue embedded along with some pretty intense foley work. The timing of the music weaving with the storyline provides both timing and pacing challenges,” said Gerould.
“Darkside” is LMU Theatre Arts’ first collaboration with KXLU 88.9. “LMU Radio provides one of the only opportunities in the Los Angeles market for students to gain practical experience in a supportive learning environment in all areas of station operations, including broadcasting, programming, technical engineering, production, public affairs, promotions, marketing, and management,” said Lydia Ammossow, director of LMU Radio. “We are looking forward to reigniting this platform that has unfortunately become a lost art. This is an exciting opportunity for both our theatre and recording arts students to hone their skills in a different and new medium for them. And, we sincerely hope that ‘Darkside’ will be the first of many more radio dramas to come,” said Ammossow.
“Darkside” addresses many themes relevant to the LMU community today, like ethical dilemmas, anxiety, alienation, and illusion, which makes it a great discussion topic for students as they navigate challenging times. It’s also a fun and refreshing opportunity to hear “The Dark Side of the Moon” from a new point of view. “We’re excited to share ‘Darkside’ with young listeners who may be experiencing the album for the first time and with longtime Pink Floyd fans who will enjoy Stoppard’s layer to this immersive journey through the album . . . We hope folks will host listening parties for this special live broadcast!” said Cabaj.
