The New ELIT Production: "The Salvation of Stephen Dedalus"
The latest project of the Department of English Language and Literature is the production of "The Salvation of Stephen Dedalus," a new play written and directed by Assoc. Prof. Don Randall. The play is based on James Joyce's novel "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man," from which it takes some of its scenes and characters, though most of the dialogues and situations are original.
The title character Stephen Dedalus is played by ELIT senior student Berat Melih Kalender, with Don Randall as his father and Asst. Prof. Patrick Hart in the role of James Joyce. Another ELIT faculty member, Dr. Gül Kurtuluş, is the production manager. Supporting roles such as Stephen's family members and other individuals who have an influence on him are played by students from various departments, including four international students.
The performance of several minor roles and much of the backstage support for the play has been undertaken by students of the Department of American Culture and Literature, with the cooperation of Dr. Christopher Rivera.
The action of the play takes place in Dublin, in the last years of the nineteenth century. Stephen Dedalus's schooldays are portrayed, along with selected episodes in his family life. The play shows scenes of his adolescence, including the precocious and troubling emergence of his adult sexuality. Stephen's short-lived but intensely experienced interest in becoming a priest is closely examined. The play ends with Stephen's university graduation and his decision to leave his native land in pursuit of a successful career as a literary artist.