Purdue News

January 21, 2000 Students guide expanded festival to Theatre stage WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Because of standing-room-only crowds last year, audiences this year are being presented with an additional night of student-directed plays at the Purdue Theatre Festival, Feb. 3-5 in the Experimental Theatre, Stewart Center. The festival is a free admission, general seating production. In 1999, the theater was full for each of its two performances. Although the festival has been expanded to include another night of plays, patrons are encouraged to arrive early for best seating. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., and the show begins each evening at 8 p.m. Producing the Purdue Theatre Festival provides a challenge for two senior theater majors who are completing their undergraduate degrees this semester. Brandi Harrison, Martinsville, Ind., and Grant McDonald, Indianapolis, are producing and directing pieces which focus on the work of contemporary American playwrights. "Producing the festival provides us with a unique opportunity to continue what was started with the Avant Garde Theatre Festival last year," said McDonald, who appeared on-stage in that production. Works range from pieces by established playwrights Tony Kushner and David Mamet to newly published writers David Graziano and Naomi Wallace to unpublished student works by Benjamin Curns and Phillip Leipf Jr. of Chepachet, R.I., a second-year graduate student in the Professional Actor Training Program at Purdue. "The pieces are all very different, reflecting the different stages these playwrights are at in their careers," said Harrison, "And it provides an interesting look at the theater scene today." Seven pieces will be performed. They are: "Acorn," written by Graziano and directed by Shauna Colclasure-Meador, Purdue Theatre costume shop manager; "Conversation With Allen," written by Leipf and directed by Colclasure-Meador; "Reverse Transcription," written by Kushner and directed by Harrison; "No One Will Be Immune," written by Mamet and directed by McDonald; "Sermon," written by Mamet and directed by McDonald; "Anticipation," written by Curns and directed by Jodi Hart; and "Standard Time," written by Wallace and directed by Harrison. CONTACT: Lori Sparger, Theatre publicist, (765) 494-3084, theatre@purdue.edu NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: To schedule an interview with the Purdue student playwright or any of the actors or directors, contact Lori Sparger, Purdue Theatre marketing director, (765) 494-3084. To the Purdue News and Photos Page