Purdue Department of Theatre to present ‘Men on Boats’

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue University Department of Theatre is presenting “Men on Boats” by Jaclyn Backhaus and directed by Dr. William W. Lewis, visiting assistant professor of acting and performance. This production will be offered both in person at the Nancy T. Hansen Theatre in Pao Hall on April 15-23, and virtually April 15-24.

The opening-night performance is 7:30 p.m. April 15, followed by live performances and digital recordings at 7:30 p.m. April 16 and April 21-23. Matinees will take place 2:30 p.m. on April 17 and 24. The matinee on April 24 will be digital only.

The livestream for “Men on Boats” will be created using a three-camera setup similar to the 2020-21 season, led by Rich Dionne, associate professor of practice and production manager in theatre, with captioning available in all digital formats.

Tickets can be purchased online, by phone at 765-494-3933, or at the Loeb Playhouse box office in Stewart Center, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Tickets are $19.50 for adults, $15.50 for those ages 62-above and $12.50 for students.

Ten explorers. Four boats. One Grand Canyon. “Men on Boats” is the true(ish) history of an 1869 expedition with a one-armed captain and a crew of fallible, yet loyal volunteers setting out to chart the course of the Colorado River. By casting the historical characters, who were all men, with women and nonbinary actors, Backhaus playfully destabilizes cultural assumptions and norms, using the theatre to explore new methods of storytelling and open more expansive territories for all, on stage and off.

Scenic design is by Carrie Ferrelli (guest artist); lighting design by Denisse Chavez (Purdue MFA Lighting Design ’22); costume design by Carlee Wuchterl (Purdue MFA Costume Design ’24); and sound design by Huhao Yang (Purdue MFA Sound Design ’23).

Visitors to campus should follow standards set in Protect Purdue guidelines.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked in each of the last four years as one of the 10 Most Innovative universities in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at https://stories.purdue.edu

Media contact: Beth Daugherty, 765-494-3081 theatre@purdue.edu