Kingsborough and Godlight Theater to bring fresh version of “Cool” classic
An adaptation of an all-time classic novel and feature films is coming to Kingsborough Community College. After award-winning director Joe Tantalo brought last year’s successful adaptation of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” to the Brooklyn school, he and Godlight Theater Company are trying to recapture the excitement with a production of the beloved “Cool Hand Luke.” The show is adapted by Emma Reeves.
“The movie, book and play share iconic moments,” said Tantalo, who explains audiences will get to know more of Luke than they did in the film, yet still stay true to the classic. “The show won’t disappoint anyone familiar with the motion picture but the book and adaptation deal with more of the character’s backstory from his experiences in war. Really, it’s a play that is dealing with the pain of his past and how it affects his behavior. To his inmates, he becomes a false idol.”
The live show will be able add elements in ways the movie doesn’t get into. “While this will feel familiar, it will also be new, different and exciting all at same time,” Tantalo continued. “It goes into his past. The movie doesn’t explore the nuances of Luke’s life and why he’s acting out the way he is.”