Star(lit)

by Cameron Rhinehardt | Mar 31, 2022 | April 2022, Do

Fete Burning Coal’s 25th with a performance of Life of Galileo under the stars. 

After 25 years of serving Raleighites lit-erate, visceral and affecting entertainment, Burning Coal Theatre Company has more than earned its spotlight. And to celebrate that benchmark, the company is culminating its silver anny with a performance of David Edgar’s adaptation of The Life of Galileo in April. (And as Burning Coal does… it’s gonna be fire.)

The play, which will feature female actor Julie Oliver as famous 17th century astronomer Galileo Galilei (!), tells the story of Galileo’s life through his scientific breakthroughs, personal life and controversy of the time.

“Oliver is ‘eminently castable,’” said Burning Coal artistic director Jerry Davis in an exclusive interview with Raleigh Magazine. To wit, Oliver is not new to the idea of acting in traditionally male roles—she also took on the role of Captain Hook in Burning Coal’s original adaptation of Peter Pan & Wendy and played the lead in The Heretic in 2013—making this her second leading role with Burning Coal.

Ever one to go against the status quo, Burning Coal has pushed boundaries since its first bow. During its first season 25 years ago, the theater company cast an African American actor in a pivotal role (which was rarely ever played by an African American) in the show Loves Labors Lost—and has often had female actors step into traditionally male roles. “I don’t do things for political reasons; I do things for artistic reasons,” explained Davis. “Maybe the artistic reason is that it helps to tell the story of someone who challenged the orthodox.” 

Now, as The Life of Galileo is set to take stage, Burning Coal is upping the X factor even more by staging the performance at Dix Park—because what could be more perfect than viewing a play about an astronomer under the stars?! “Most art forms are done in small spaces,” said Davis of the location choice. “So we wanted to get out of that world, go into another world, and see if the work holds up there as well.”

A full circle moment—it all comes back to Burning Coal’s aspiration from day one to perform more meaningful art via thoughtful and significant performances. Rather than skewing art to make a profit, the theater company has fought that impulse and prioritized art in order to educate and entertain the community. “You have a small space to perform in, and you can fill most of those seats with anything, so why not do the good stuff?” said Davis. “Why not do the stuff that’s important, the stuff that the community needs to hear, rather than picking something just to fill seats?”

Noting the timeliness of this production, he adds: “Galileo is a perfect example of someone who challenged the orthodox and changed the world for the better, which is exactly what we are trying to do.” Challenge exceeded. burningcoal.org