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January 11, 2002

Theatre Festival focuses on women

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. –Women’s issues and how they are addressed will be examined during the Purdue Theatre Festival, which plays at 8 p.m. Jan. 24-26 in the Experimental Theatre, Stewart Center.

The festival is an undergraduate student production, sponsored by Purdue Theatre and Alpha Psi Omega. Admission is free with seating on a first come, first served basis. The Experimental Theatre will open at 7:30 p.m.

Each season, the Theatre Festival presents an opportunity for undergraduate students to produce, direct, design and perform in a production of their own making. The students are guided by artistic director Thomas Winget, a senior from Frankfort, Ind.. Winget chose the theme for this season’s festival.

"We decided early on that we would examine a general theme of women’s issues," Winget says. "The show itself begins with a very dark feel. As it continues, though, it becomes brighter and brighter as these women begin to triumph over the challenges they face."

Winget says issues of body image, domestic abuse, rape, and sexual abuse all are examined in the Theatre Festival.

"I think it’s a very empowering show," he says. "It throws stereotypes and gender roles all over the place, really twisting them around."

The Theatre Festival features the following pieces:

"Medusa’s Tale" by Carol S. Lashof, and directed by Kara McCaskey, a senior from Elkhart, Ind.

"Stepfather" by Jillian Shaw-Smith, a freshman from Anderson, Ind., and directed by Jason Hamman, a senior from Booneville, Ind. The assistant director is Danielle Ciesieleski, a sophomore from Portage, Ind.

"Off the Rack" by Robert D. Kemnitz and Jennifer McMaster, is directed by Matt Beran a sophomore from Naperville, Ill.

"Pizza Man" by Danielle Craviotti, and directed by Elizabeth Byanski, a junior from Bluffton, Ind.

"The Most Massive Woman Wins" by Madeleine George, and directed by Shauna Colclasure Meador, (MFA ‘99) Purdue Theatre costume shop manager. The assistant director is Justin Karr, a sophomore from Columbus, Ind.

"I Want to be a Woman" by Evert Eden, and directed by Danielle Ciesieleski.

CONTACT: Lori Sparger, Purdue Theatre marketing director, (765) 494-3084; theatre@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu


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