September 12, 2005
New facilities mark Purdue Theatre's season of transition
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue Theatre fall season will be one filled with grand entrances and exits as the group will leave behind its Stewart Center space and move to its new location in Yue-Kong Pao Hall of the Visual and Performing Arts.
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"We've made our home in Stewart Center since 1958, so leaving it behind will be bittersweet," said Russell Jones, associate professor of theatre. "However, we've brought some of the best aspects of the previous space to both of the new stages in Pao Hall.
"The Carole and Gordon Mallett Theatre allows a great deal of flexibility with stage and audience configurations like the Black Box Theatre, but it seats 100 to 150 people. And while the Nancy T. Hansen Theatre will seat 300, it maintains the intimacy that we loved about the Experimental Theatre. Both theatres also will feature state-of-the-art technology."
All productions through the end of 2005 will be held in Stewart Center or Creative Arts 3; the first performances in Pao Hall begin in February.
"Arms and the Man," written by George Bernard Shaw and directed by Richard Sullivan Lee, associate professor of theatre, kicks off the season Sept. 22 in the Experimental Theatre. The play is a classic satire about love and war, and Shaw uses fascinating heroes and heroines, secret identities and scheming servants in the Shavian balance of debate and the humor throughout the production. Seven students are cast in the play, and more than 40 others are involved in the production.
Next up is "Road," a gritty piece by Jim Cartwright set in Lancashire, England, Oct. 20-30. Audience members in the Black Box Theatre will move through the depressed small town, meeting inhabitants of all ages. Richard Stockton Rand, professor of theatre, will direct the farewell performance.
"Marisol" will bring down the final curtain in the Experimental Theatre. Set in contemporary New York City, this dramatic piece follows Marisol Perez through the war zone in José Rivera's apocalyptic urban fantasy. Jeff Casazza, visiting instructor of theatre, will direct the play scheduled Nov. 10-20.
Written by Purdue alumnus George Ade in 1904, "The College Widow" will kick off the opening of the Nancy T. Hansen Theatre. Dale Miller, professor emeritus of theatre, is returning to direct this comedy of widow Jane and her dealings with members of the football team. "The College Widow" played on Broadway for about 300 performances and inspired two movies. Purdue's production Feb. 17-26 will feature a large cast, five sets and music from Purdue Bands.
"A Story About a Girl," written by Jaquelyn Reingold, will be the inaugural production of the world premiere in the Mallett Theatre March 31 to April 9. Telling the story of Jessica, a girl who can't speak, this play within a play will show how she is still able to find love and her voice and endure loss.
The final production of the season will be "The Winter's Tale" by William Shakespeare, April 13-22 in the Hansen Theatre. A timeless play, "The Winter's Tale" combines tragedy and comedy seamlessly, with love and forgiveness triumphing in the end.
Single tickets to productions on the main stage, including "Arms and the Man," "Marisol," "The College Widow" and "The Winter's Tale," are $16 for the general public, $9 for students and $12 for seniors over 62. Tickets to "Road" and "A Story About A Girl" are $7.50 for the general public and seniors and $6 for students. Season-ticket packages offering discounted prices will be available through Sept. 21.
For tickets, call Loeb Box Office at (765) 494-3933 or (800) 914-SHOW.
Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu
Source: Russell Jones, (765) 494-3081, rjones@cla.purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
PHOTO CAPTION
Two rivals, Captain Bluntschli (Justin Karr, left) and Major Sergius Saranoff (Andrew Carlson), vie for Raina's (Shannon Riley) affection in Purdue Theatre's production of "Arms and the Man." The play will kick off the 2005-06 fall season and will run Sept. 22 to Oct. 2 in Stewart Center's Experimental Theatre. (Photo courtesy/Leslie Dionne-Abeyta)
A publication-quality photograph is available at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/images/+2005/theatre-arms.jpg
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