Classic updated to modern setting

For Chip Straley, selling one's soul to the devil for power is not the issue. What one does with that power is the real issue.

Straley is the Arizona Western College theater department head, and his students are presenting the play "Faustus 2010."

"It is a modern adaptation of the 1580s Christopher Marlowe play 'The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus,'" Straley said, "which details how a person who is excelling in scholastic realities chooses to seek out astrology and magic and associate with the devil, and sells his soul to Satan for great powers, and then falls to death 24 years later."

The first performance of "Faustus 2010" is Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the AWC Theater (remaining schedule listed below). For more information, call 344-7592.

In the modernized version, the person of interest is a businesswoman whose quest for power is insatiable.

"The element is somewhat the same with some specific changes," Straley said. "Our Faustus is a woman who earned an MBA and a Ph.D. in economics and works on Wall Street. She is responsible for the destruction of our world's economy."

Straley said Jane Faustus is a sinister character.

"Part of her basic personality trait is to take things from other people and screw them over, so falling in with Satan is a natural thing for her. I view her as not necessarily as tragic in the Aristotelian sense of a noble man because I don’t think she is noble."

Straley said the modern reworking of the play is meant to mirror the negligent actions of American corporations that sent the U.S. into the Great Recession.

"She takes the money out of the average Joe’s pocket and willingly destroys their lives, which is what AIG and the other (companies) did to the nation and the world. (The similarities are) most definitely on purpose, but we are also maintaining as close to possible to Marlowe's original lyricism and his original meter."

Sherrie Jester, who is playing the part of Jane Faustus, said the trouble begins when Jane encounters a mysterious book.

"Jane Faustus is a doctor of economics and has all this knowledge but craves more. She finds a book of magic and decides to sell her soul to the Devil. She wants power and to be able to do whatever she wants."

Straley said he is disgusted by the way Jane Faustus uses her power.

"The issue for Marlowe was selling your soul was the worst thing. For me I don’t care if you sell your soul, but what do you do with that power? She did nothing but negative things. She could have cured cancer or righted all the wrongs, but instead she chooses to ... do stupid things and doesn’t use her power for good. With great power comes great responsibility."

According to Jester, Jane struggles with her final destination even as she carelessly abuses her power.

"She conjures up Helen of Troy from Hell and gives horns to people who bad-mouth scholars," Jester said. "She doesn't do anything important with her powers and wastes it completely, but she struggles back and forth asking herself if she should go to God."

Straley said Jane finally gets used up in the end by the Devil and dies a horrible and devastating death.

"There is no doubt (that she goes to Hell). All of this takes place in Faustus’ corporate building of GIA, of which she is CEO. We see her at the beginning on the top floor, and she goes down in the elevator. All of the devils who enter come up through the elevator, and when she gets dragged to Hell, it's via the elevator."

Straley believes Jane Faustus is worthy of her just desserts.

"This is Faustus’ big tragedy. It's what she does to us. I don't care that she loses her soul, she deserves it."

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IF YOU GO

• Today - 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday - 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday - 2:30 p.m.
• Wednesday - 7:30 p.m.
• Thursday - 7:30 p.m.
• Nov. 20 - 7:30 p.m.
• Nov. 21 - 7:30 p.m.
• Nov. 22 - 2:30 p.m.

 • Admission: Donation of either five articles of clean, wearable clothing; five nonperishable food items; or $5