Madalynn Wilson
Lantern Staff
“The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus” tells the story of a German scholar, Faustus, whose dissatisfaction with life leads him to make a deal with the devil. While Faustus learns the consequences of trading your soul for worldly pleasures, Ralph and Robin, played by Caden Runnalls and Christian Watkins, find his conjuring book and decide to cause some mischief along the way.
These roles are quite different from their roles in Butler’s previous play, “The Man Who Came to Dinner.” Runnalls played Sandy, a labor union organizer and a love interest of one of the main characters while Watkins played Bert Jefferson, a newspaperman who fell in love with another main character.
“This is kind of a return to form for me,” Runnalls said. “I was a lot of comic relief characters in high school, but the last play I was in, I was in one scene. I was just a love interest of one of the main characters. For that, it really doesn’t differ other than actually doing something.”
Watkins’ character in the last play was a cool, charming guy while his role in the upcoming show is a bit of an odd duck, so this will be a complete 180 degree turn from the last show.
As far as preparing for their roles, they have done some research about how to act drunk as both their characters are drunk for almost the entire play.
“My last play, when I was Burt Jefferson, I had to be drunk for a scene, … so I really did most of my research then,” Watkins said. “I just picked up on some mannerisms like how people act when they’re drunk and everything. That’s pretty much how you sell it I guess. The little things you do. It’s not just being silly; it’s everything else, the technical stuff behind it.”
The actors each have other roles in the play besides Ralph and Robin. Watkins plays the sin of pride as well as a friar while Runnalls plays the sin of envy, a scholar and a friar. They have been able to have some fun with developing their characters and will continue to do so as show night approaches.
“I’ve never had this much freedom in a role before,” Watkins said.
The play will have four showings from Thursday, Nov. 21 to Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. each night with an extra matinee at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. The Box Office opens on Wednesday, Nov. 13, and tickets can be reserved by visiting the office or calling (316) 322-3262.