Purdue News
Purdue News
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October 24, 2002 Purdue Theatre presents 'Big Love'WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Theatre will ponder romance when it brings its production of the recent American play "Big Love" to the Experimental Theatre. Written by Charles Mee, "Big Love" debuted at the 2000 Humana Festival of New American Plays. Purdue performances are Nov. 7-17 in the Stewart Center's Experimental Theatre. Kristine Holtvedt, associate professor of theater, will direct the production. The play revolves around 50 brides-to-be, promised by their fathers as infants to cousins, who are having second thoughts the night before their wedding. The women escape to an Italian villa, but the would-be grooms are in hot pursuit. Chaos ensues as the men and women come together in a knock-down, drag-out passionate battle of the sexes. This hip, disarmingly funny play looks at men, women and the power of love. Holtvedt says the play has a lot of history behind it. "Charles Mee's play is based on Aeschylus' "The Suppliant Maidens," a play that is over 2,500 years old," Holtvedt says. "Nevertheless, when I read the play and saw the Goodman Theatre production in Chicago, I was amazed and excited to discover how relevant it is to us today." Holtvedt also says the play is thought-provoking. "'Big Love' forces audiences to question assumptions about issues and institutions often taken for granted: the nature of love, marriage, contracts, familial relationships, the relationship between men and women, the rights of women, what it means to be a woman, what it is to be a man and justice," she says. "The play shakes up our presumptions and prejudices. It is a play that will really make audiences think." "Big Love" contains brief nudity, adult language and situations. Parental discretion is advised. Performances are at 8 p.m. Nov. 7-9 and Nov. 12-16. Matinees will be presented at 2 p.m. Nov. 10, 16 and 17. General public tickets are $14 and $16. Senior citizen tickets are $10 and $12, and student tickets are $8 and $10. Tickets may be purchased at the Loeb Box Office in Stewart Center, or by calling (765) 494-3933 or toll-free at (800) 914-SHOW. Tickets also are available online at TicketMaster.com. Processing fees apply. Groups of eight or more can reserve discounted tickets by calling (765) 494-3084. 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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