image image image image image

Latini in Dark World is a "creation myth" drenched in metaphor and filled with references to the works of such literary giants as Dante and Milton. Join us in Stage Left for a fascinating evening with a clever new theatrical work!

Latini is a young man who feels the force of nature driving him to name things in a world where creation is dangerous and outlawed. He is quickly captured and cast out of the City of Dark World where he encounters many strange characters, as he continues his search for creation. The play parallels many ideas from such great authors as Dante, Melville, Steinbeck, Hess, Nietzsche, and many others. The closest contrast is to Dante’s Divine Comedy, particularly the Inferno. The Character of Dante serves as a guide to the audience as they journey through the stew of metaphors and literary references. The majority of the play takes place with its two major characters trapped on the sea in a boat. They are truly on the hero’s journey.

What can safely be told is that the play takes place at a point before time began, before the big bang, and that everything that happens is part of the circle of life. The Circle is taken quite literally. Here after the world ends it starts over again with no alteration from the time before. A Groundhog Day if you will, so that here in the Theater with the Audience the actors recreate the same play they have recreated at this point and time in every turn of eternity. If it all seems a bit confusing, please trust that it will be entertaining. It will be full of metaphor, music and dance, and will be created with the purpose to give a gift to those involved as spectator and player. We hope to challenge and to entertain.

Preview Benefit Performance Thursday, April 23

There was a special preview performance at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, as a benefit for Willamette Valley Cancer Center, in memory of Carl Keller. Keller, a long-time VLT member who built and designed the theatre’s sets for nearly 15 years, died of cancer in 2007 and was well cared for at Willamette Valley Cancer Center.

Cast List

Production Staff