From artist M.C. Escher's mind-bending perspective to the probability calculations that win game shows like Let's Make a Deal, math is prevalent in more than just textbooks and chalkboards.
That's what a new theatre production aims to show teens. Math Out Loud, which comes to Sidney's Mary Winspear Centre Oct. 1 to 6, follows two teen protagonists on a fantastical journey through space and time. Guided by "the Wizard of Odds," they meet Cleopatra, Christopher Columbus and other historical figures, as well as the math geniuses who laid the groundwork for MP3s and airplanes.
"I wrote a crazy, psychedelic mathical mystery, where everything can and does happen," said playwright and director Mackenzie Gray, who has acted in more than 120 films and television shows, including a role as the new Lex Luthor on the final season of Smallville. "The point of the play is to remove that wall of fear and dauntingness. Math is fun, it's really simple."
Math Out Loud, produced by Academy Award-winner Dale Hartleben, is an attempt by national research organization MITACS (Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems) to attract more young people to study math and science. Aimed at Grades 8 to 11, schools can book the free show Oct. 1 to 5 at either 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. The show opens to the public with two shows Oct. 6 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for children or $15 for adults at tickets.marywinspear.ca or 250-656-0275. Gray, who joined the production thanks to his experience writing for three seasons of Sesame Street, said he wasn't a math fan growing up. But he had one teacher who changed that, by demonstrating probability through a game of roulette.
"He totally changed the way I look at math," he said.
"That's when math started to make more sense to me."
Math Out Loud premièred last December at UBC's Frederick Wood Theatre, but has since gone through workshopping and returns in an updated form this season.
Gray said the "mildly hallucinogenic" multimedia production - featuring interactive video, slides, an eight-actor cast, four musical numbers and a rock video called the Mathical Mystery Tour - has been received positively by audiences.
Even some of the typically "too cool for school" kids like it. Last year, Gray said one of the crew found a group of students smoking pot behind the theatre before the show.
"He sat with them, he was totally curious to see how they interpreted it," he said. They loved it enough to stay behind and thank Gray for the show afterward.
"It even appealed to the stoners, so I consider that a big victory."
