MadLab presents 'The Jinn'

Female directing duo ambitiously stages mind-bending script

By Dwayne Steward

Metromix

As the saying goes, two heads are better than one. But when two directors come together to put on a massive ensemble play, "artistic differences" can often lead to a nasty fallout. 

MadLab Theatre, however, is known for forcefully combating the norm. Veteran MadLab-ers Michelle Batt and Amanda Bauer have joined forces to stage an ambitious take on friend-to-the-theater Kirk Lynn's "The Jinn," on display Aug. 5-28 at Madlab's new downtown theater on Third Street.

"We're here on a Saturday morning, in paint clothes painting the set. There's no room for conflict," Batt said over the phone.

As the troupe is a self-sufficient non-profit, being a MadLab ensemble member most often means not only being an actor or director, but often being both while also taking on the tasks of a set designer, props master, spot light technician, costume designer and proficient stage hand. Being a jack-of-all-trades is just the beginning, but it seems to work.

In 2008, four writers contributed to the well-received "Stripped Away," and the Batt-Bauer team isn't a new development either. The two staged Chris Lane's "Flow" back in 2007.

"It helps that we've worked together before, and it's great getting two different perspectives," Bauer said.

"The Jinn," a supernatural, time-bending take on the love scars endured during one couple's relationship, might not be the duo's first collaboration, but it is their toughest to stage.

"We try to do at least one show a year that pushes our boundaries on lighting, staging, etc., and this is that show," Batt said.

The ‘jinn' in the title takes on the modern form of a genie, which led Batt and Bauer to a Moroccan theme.

"We want the set to also envelop the audience," Batt said. "We want them to feel like they're walking inside a genie's lamp."

Smoking lamps along with making it snow and rain onstage are just a few of the tricks the ladies have up their sleeves.

"There are also video projections and slide shows in the script," Bauer said. "We hope everyone will be audio-visually intrigued."

Kirk Lynn's "The Jinn" runs Aug. 5-28 at the MadLab Theatre, 227 N. Third Street. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students/seniors and $8 for members. For more information, call 614-221-5418 or visit the MadLab Web site.