Jason Koski/University Photography

From left, Austin Bunn, Bruce Levitt, Aoise Stratford and Bashir Hassan discuss "The Life Before Us" in the Schwartz Center.

Lindsay France/University Photography

Incoming students participate in a reading project small discussion group with Dean of Students Kent Hubbell in Uris Hall Aug. 20.

Lindsay France/University Photography

Students talk about "The Life Before Us" in Uris Hall.

Outfitted with feather boas, fedoras and silk kimonos, characters from Romain Gary's "The Life Before Us" came to life on the stage of the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts Aug. 19 as faculty and students from Cornell's Department of Performing and Media Arts hosted one of six sessions of the 2012 New Student Reading Project.

A chance for new students to see the behind-the-scenes work that goes into putting together a performance for stage, the afternoon offered a creative spin on the 1975 novel, which students read over the summer.

"The book explores great themes like religion and diversity, topics that are relevant to freshmen starting college," said Brian Murphy '16, of West Long Branch, N.J. "I can see why they would pick it. Probably no one in this class has read this book before, so to learn and experience it as a whole class is cool."

Professor Bruce Levitt and Assistant Professor Austin Bunn worked closely with graduate student Aoise Stratford as well as actors graduate student Bashir Hassan and Carolyn Goelzer, a visiting senior lecturer and past visiting professor to create the presentation. The hour-long event in the Schwartz Center's Kiplinger Theatre featured four scenes from the book, as well as a fragment of Gary's final essay before his suicide, in which he writes about reinventing himself under the pseudonym Emile Ajar, under which he wrote "The Life Before Us."

"In developing the presentation, we worked to find the standout moments in the novel that seemed active and stageable," Goelzer said. "We also wanted to demonstrate the tools that we use to bring the material to life -- tools like silence on stage, entrances and exits, props that are emblematic, as well as functional."

Props like a cap for the narrator, Momo, helped the audience distinguish who was playing that role, as it changed several times during the play. And a set of heavy rings created a dramatic moment when the narrator talked about one character being punished by having his fingers chopped off -- as the rings were thrown noisily to the floor.

"Being able to see the characters portrayed in theater is certainly a lot more entertaining than just listening to someone present about the book," said Ezra Mwaura '16 of Kansas City, Mo.

The Schwartz Center was one of six venues used for presentations Sunday -- others included the Johnson Museum and Cornell Cinema. Students then attended small group discussion sections Monday.

Levitt and Stratford said the Schwartz Center event helped "demystify" what happens behind the scenes.

"Nothing was hidden. There was no set, no tech crew hidden behind a booth," Stratford said. "Everything was visible right down to the script in the hands of the actors."

"I hope our new students will gain a beginning notion that the theater -- either as participants or audience members -- has something rich and enervating to contribute to their lives and to their growth and development as human beings that is beyond that they can get anyplace else," Levitt said.

Kathy Hovis is the communications manager for the Department of of Performing and Media Arts.