Bliss by Mikhail Bulgakov
Translated, adapted and directed by Margo Gray
Carnegie Mellon University
When the engineer Rein invents a time machine that accidentally transports her and two not-so-innocent bystanders from Soviet Russia 300 years into the future, they have difficulty adjusting to a world that seems, at first, very different from their own.
In order to update this forgotten satire, banned by Stalin before it could be staged, I translated and script and adapted it into a sleeker version with women at the helm. The design team created the confined, stifled world of Soviet Moscow contrasted with the technologically-driven, ever-watchful world of future Moscow. The similarities of the two worlds are revealed as motivations become clear, and characters from the past find ways to assimilate. The world of the Moscow in 2222 incorporates technology inspired by early Twentieth Century visions of the future, including live video and actor-responsive effects.
Director: Margo Gray
Scenic Design: Pam Lee
Lighting Design: David Arterberry
Costume Design: Julianne D'errico
Meida Design: Danni Zhang
Sound Design: Abigail Novar
Performers: Philippe Arroyo, Olivia Brown, Kelsey Carthew , Scott Alda Coffey, Brady Doward, Benjamin Edelman, Luke Lamontagne, Maya Maniar, Sawyer Pierce, Colleen Pulawski, Joell Weil, and Annie Yokom.
Photos by Louis Stein