Anybody who attended Roger Waters' live rendition of The Wall at the Sprint Center last year knows that a live production of the album has cinematic qualities all its own. Now, a collective of local artists -- spearheaded by David Wayne Reed and Ron Megee -- will unveil a production of the Pink Floyd film and album this weekend. I caught up with musician Cody Wyoming about an upcoming production of Pink Floyd's The Wall that he's working on, which opens this Friday at the Living Room at 1818 McGee.
The Pitch: How'd you cast this production?
Cody Wyoming: The production was staged three years ago at La Esquina as part of a series of tributes curated by David Wayne Reed. Ron Megee was the director and asked me to put a band together for it. So I found some people who were interested and started rehearsing with them, while Ron put the theater side of things together. The show sold out all three performances, and we were all elated about it. We'd been trying for a long time to do it again with a longer run, and nothing came together until the Living Room came into our lives.
Whose idea was it?
I'm not sure who came up with it originally (David Wayne Reed, or Ron Megee), but the vision is all Ron, and he has come up with a really striking story to tell.
Did you go to Roger Waters' production last fall?
Sadly, no. I was in a play at the Living Room that night about three blocks away. But lucky me, as our play let out, I got to see tons of people walking to their cars with The Wall T-shirts on.
What's the role of local music in the production?
In a word, crucial! The band is made up of some of the most ridiculously talented and hardworking musicians I have ever known. Chirs Meck, Erik Voeks, Mark Lowrey, and Kent Burnham are all absolutely vital players in our city's music scene. The one thing that excites me most about this show is that while it is a play, it is very much a rock show with a top-notch rock-and-roll band playing music that they all love.
How will you represent the film's visual landscape in a live setting?
Ron has created a show that is unique unto itself. It has certain indispensable images and elements from the film, but it is really an original vision and tells the story of The Wall in a way that is at the same time faithful to the material and new and different
What are you most excited to unveil this weekend?
I can't wait for the first crashing notes of "In the Flesh" to punch the audience in the face, and the big fascist rally in the second act will be pretty bitchin', too.
The play will run at the Living Room on Friday, April 29; Saturday, April 30; Monday, May 2; Friday, May 6; Saturday, May 7; Sunday, May 8; and Monday, May 9. Tickets are $20, and each seating is limited to 111 people. Every night at 8 p.m., there will be a lottery for 10 free tickets.
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