The cultural reforms of 19th century Ireland are acted out in the Penn State School of Theatre's production of Translations.

Translations is set in 19^th century Ireland, when the British began trying to Anglicize the Gaelic names found in the country.

One of the British soldiers, Lt. Yolland, is stationed in the town of Baile Beag, in the northwestern part of Ireland. Yolland, played by Jeremy Cudd (graduate-theatre), is intrigued by Baile Beag and attempts to adapt to his new surroundings.

"[Yolland] becomes enthralled with the Irish culture, and his attempt to become more a part of it stirs up trouble with the locals," director Jim Wise said.

Wise said "translations" means "crossing boundaries," and the message of the play stems from this definition.

"I think the play is saying that crossing boundaries can be very dangerous, and extreme caution must be taken when doing so, " he said.

This idea of crossing boundaries is central to Translations; not only does it apply to the 19th century Ireland depicted in the play, but the director and actors agreed that its sentiments make sense in today's world. Wise said he chose this play as a response to what the United States is currently doing in Iraq, and his cast understands how events of the past can carry through to the present.

"The show captures a time when the British empire is moving in and could also speak to the events in our own world today -- going into another country, whether they ask for help or not," Cudd said.

Cast member Kevin Murphy (graduate-theatre) said there is a line in the play that explains what Cudd is describing.

"There's a line in the story that sums it up well: 'You don't cross those borders casually -- both sides get very angry,' " he said.

The actors of Translations speak in Irish or English accents throughout the show, and Wise said one of the challenges in directing this show has been the rich use of language.

"In many ways, the language is used in the same manner as in classical works. We are also incorporating the use of British and Irish dialects, so it is very important that the intentions of the words are made clear and that the diction for the dialects is clear enough for the audience to understand," he said.

To ensure this clarity, cast member Kate Spurgeon (graduate-theatre) asked residents of Baile Beag to pronounce words for her into a tape recorder while she visited the town this summer. Spurgeon visited Ireland during her summer in the Master of Fine Arts London program and said the people she spoke with were very accommodating. Murphy explained that while they were wary of asking, people were receptive to their requests.

"Everyone was really friendly, though, and were happy to help us," he said.

Using these pronunciations, the actors are able to present a realistic sound to the audience.

Spurgeon said it's important to speak with the accent well, even though the show is about "transcending verbal communication."

She said that as an actor in this show, she's gone further than strictly understanding a script to create a realistic portrayal for the audience.

"As an actor, you have to look beyond the language itself -- look beyond to make it believable," she said.