Where It All Started – Act One
After reading Mr. Burns, I was walking past the Mayer Memorial Gardens near the Skiles Building on the campus of Georgia Tech. It is a small sunken garden hidden near the library. It is quiet and peaceful. Few people know about it or pay attention to it. Many walk by it daily and probably don’t even know it is there. It’s an excellent place for people who have just survived an apocalypse to hide. This idea started to really get my wheels turning. I thought more and more about how one can stage a version of Mr. Burns across campus. This location would be a great first location for the production. Where would the second and third act take place? And how did they fit into the larger story and idea of what Washburn was saying?
Act Two
Act Two was the greatest challenge for visualize, mostly because campus has changed so much over time. Initially, the amphitheater was the most logical place to stage act two. It was also known as the “Free Speech area.” This area existed right outside of DramaTech. It made the natural progression for the performance. It moved the audience closer to the theatre. I was very familiar with this area. Unfortunately, it was removed as part of the renovation to the Student Center, so there went that idea.
I thought about moving it onto Tech Green. It is easily accessible to everyone and right in the middle of campus. However, it is often in use and has heavy foot traffic, making it less than ideal. I remained stuck for a long time thinking about where this act can happen. Recently, I found a place that I like and feel is appropriate for the act. I’ll keep that location a mystery for now…
Act Three
I’ve always know that Act Three will happen inside a theatre, whether that is DramaTech or the Ferst Center. It is the only act that happens indoors and the only act that relies on electricity. It’s just that simple.
Why Now?
So why now? Well, the easy answer is time and money? In Fall 2025, I applied for an Arts at Tech Catalyst Grant for Arts Innovation. My project is not as fancy or high-tech as most projects. I feared it was not be chosen for an arts granting program at Georgia Tech. However, for a rather conventional co-curricular theatre program, this is asking a lot of the students who are participating. I took these ideas and my passion for event-based work and decided it was time. I took my desire to produce Mr. Burns off the shelf and submitted my request.
And I got it! So here we go!
Mr. Burns at Georgia Tech 