Know Theatre of Cincinnati presents The Light Chasers, a musical-fueled sci-fi tale about grief and reality to close out its 26th season (“Through the Mirror”). It also serves as exiting Artistic Director Andrew J. Hungerford’s final show at the helm. Talk about grief! Based on the album of the same name by indie-rock band Cloud Cult, The Light Chasers is not only a co-production with CCM Acting, but is truly a labor of love. In addition to penning the script he developed with Chicago-based theatre maker Jess Hutchinson, Mr. Hungerford also co-directs the piece with her.
The Production and Creative Team
Wearing yet another set of hats as Scenic & Lighting Designer, Mr. Hungerford performs his usual magic in partnership with the wonderful talents of Sound & Projection Designer Douglas J. Borntrager. The set design seems to be a relatively simple one. Heavily enhanced by light and projection, it transports the audience to the different locations portrayed in the script and proves to be a very effective solution. Movement Director L. Lucia Duque provides a beautiful tableau where performing artists use their bodies to become parts of the scenery itself as well as offering a passage of time. References are made to time passage and how it can be slow to quick to slow and this is mirrored in Mx. Duque’s seamless choreography.
The Music of ‘The Light Chasers’
Rob Stark’s contributions as Orchestrator & Music Director are part of what draws the entire story we are witnessing together. As someone who has listed to the Cloud Cult album upon which The Light Chasers is based, I am familiar with the fact that it is much more about the orchestrations rather than the vocals and harmonies; however, I think a show with a cast of this size would have benefitted from added and more diverse vocal harmonies. Nonetheless, Mx. Stark’s orchestrations are incredibly layered and match the energy of the original album with great success.
The cast of The Light Chaser presented by Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Photo credit to Dan R. Winters Photography.
The Performing Artists
Playing the role of Nic, our teenaged lead who is trying to navigate grief over missing her father and just life in general, is Gabi Adams. A junior at CCM who hails from my Coast (go, West Coast!), Ms. Adams is an absolute dream in the role, giving the audience the honesty and vulnerability needed to portray an outcast teenager who feels the pressure from her parents to be “something” great. With a perfect blend of relatability and comfort in being exceptionally intelligent, one will find themselves cheering on this underdog, even as she does things considered less-than-ideal.
Montez O. Jenkins Copeland offers an incredible turn as Mshauri/Captain. With quite possibly the best vocals in the group, Mx. Jenkins Copeland draws the ideal amount of attention to themselves while being able to blend without issue in the very next moment. Their physicality is second to none and it is clear they are a both a confident and passionate performer. An excellent casting choice of an equally excellent artist.
Promising CCM sophomore Carson Mehlbauer portrays Ellis, Nic’s neighbour and fellow classmate. Mr. Mehlbauer is convincing as an eager, yet awkward teen who acknowledges his intellectual deficiencies while offering his personal best as a fabricator. The friendly and easy chemistry between Nic and Ellis is made all the more believable in part due to Mr. Mehlbauer’s talents.
Carson Mehlbauer as Ellis and Gabi Adams as Nic in The Light Chasers presented by Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Photo credit to Dan R. Winters Photography.
The Sweet and Lowdown
In a world just a few years from where we are now, it seems the emotional struggles we face as humans remain the same: grief, uncertainty, and – fortunately – love and hope. We all make mistakes; it is in putting the pieces back together that we learn how to…well, make different (and hopefully) better mistakes. But no matter what, we keep going.
If I may add a personal and probably shared sentiment: Andrew, thank you for ten years of magic at Know Theatre as Artistic Director. I am grateful and humbled to have had the privilege of being in your sphere during your tenure here.
Tickets to ‘The Light Chasers’
The Light Chasers presented by Know Theatre of Cincinnati and CCM Acting runs now through April 28th. Support live theatre – and pay homage to Andrew as he prepares to step down – by purchasing your tickets here.
