In the fall, a contemporary translation of the 17th century French comedy Tartuffe by Molière will be performed Oct. 26-28 and Nov. 1-3, 2012 in the Studio Theatre. The play, subtitled, “The Hypocrite,” focuses on a religious fraud, Tartuffe, who slyly dupes a wealthy merchant, Orgon, into signing over his estate, and even his daughter, to Tartuffe. Orgon’s family readily recognizes Tartuffe’s unscrupulous behavior, and Orgon’s refusal to acknowledge Tartuffe’s fraud creates much of the comedy.
According to Oberon Books, “Molière's classic satire was denounced on its first performance as a sacrilegious outrage and banned from further public view. Only after petition to Louis XIV was the ban lifted, and the play's trenchant mockery of human frailties has ensured its popularity ever since.”
UIS Assistant Professor of Theatre Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson will direct Tartuffe. Open auditions/crew interviews will be held Sept. 4-5, 2012 in The Studio Theatre. Callbacks will take place on Sept. 6. Auditions and crew positions are open to students, faculty, staff, and community members. Check www.uis.edu/theatre for updated times and information.
In the spring, UIS Theatre will present the play Awake and Sing by Clifford Odets during April 5-7 and April 11-13, 2013 in the Studio Theatre. Originally produced by the revolutionary theatre company known as the "Group Theatre" in 1935, Awake and Sing startled audiences with a story that hit close to home--ordinary Americans struggling to survive and even hold on to their dreams in depression-era New York. This story of a struggling American family involves young Ralph Berger trying to find his own way in the world, while his sister, Hennie, strives to decide who she is: a pretty catch for some man or a leader who will chart her own course toward happiness. These yearnings cannot be denied, but Ralph and Hennie's parents--Myron and especially Bessie--have other ideas about what it means to live in the hardest of times. Today, this play delivers new resonance to audiences who find themselves in an economy seemingly unable to fully recover.
According to A Noise Within Study Guide, “Bessie attempts to protect her family from high hopes and fruitless idealism, grounding her perceptions of reality in the cold truth of struggle. However, the Berger family has a will of its own and does not always support Bessie’s iron-fisted policies, as those who seek to provide a sense of freedom and hope for Ralph and Hennie enact their own redemptive yet heartbreaking plans.”
The original Broadway production featured Stella Adler and Sanford Meisner--two young two young actors who would go on to become two of the most influential master teachers of acting during the twentieth century.
UIS Associate Professor and Director of Theatre Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson will direct Awake and Sing. Open auditions/crew interviews will be held Jan. 22 and 23, 2013 in The Studio Theatre. Callbacks will take place on Jan. 24. Auditions and crew positions are open to students, faculty, staff, and community members. More information will be posted on www.uis.edu/theatre.
The curtain time for Thursday, Friday and Saturday night shows is 7:30 p.m. with the Sunday performance starting at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $14 for adults, $12 for senior citizens (65 or older with a picture I.D.), $10 for UIS Faculty/Staff and $8 for UIS students (and all other college-level students) with a valid, current i-card or college I.D. card. Please note that a service charge, not included in the prices above, from Sangamon Auditorium will be added to each ticket price, at the time of purchase. To avoid a higher service charge, buying tickets in person at the Sangamon Auditorium ticket office is highly recommended.
For more information on the upcoming theatre season contact Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson at 217/206-6613 or email ethib1@uis.edu.
