September 16, 2003
Theatre Season Features Variety of Offerings
EVANSTON
--- Northwestern University’s 2003-04 Mainstage
Theatre Season features award-winning comedies, dramas and musicals,
a dance program that will show off the talents of the University’s
Dance Program, and a family-oriented play.
All of the following productions will be held on the Evanston
campus.
As
a special bonus, for those who missed the 2003 Summer Theatre
world premiere
performances in July and August of “Pop-Sical,” the
musical revue will be repeated this fall. Conceived and directed
by Northwestern faculty member Dominic Missimi, who was recently
nominated for a Jeff Award for his direction of “Funny Girl” at
the Marriott-Lincolnshire Theatre, Missimi’s new revue features
a cast of 30 singers and dancers who perform some of the most popular
music created for the Broadway stage. ”Pop-Sical” will
be performed at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25, Sept. 26 and Sept. 27 and 2
p.m. Sept. 28, at the Ethel M. Barber Theatre, 30 Arts Circle Drive.
The
2003-04 Mainstage Theatre Season begins with Tom Stoppard’s “The
Real Thing,” directed by Craig Kinzer. Winner of the 1984
Tony Award for Best Play and the 2000 Tony Award for Best Revival,
this engaging backstage comedy portrays an articulate and romantically
idealistic playwright whose second wife is trying to merge worthy
causes with her art as an actress. “The Real Thing” will
be performed at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1; 2 p.m. Nov. 2; 7:30
p.m. Nov. 6, Nov. 7 and Nov. 8; and 2 p.m. Nov. 9, at the Ethel
M. Barber Theatre.
One
of the most explosive movie musicals in recent memory will burst
onto
the live stage in the Chicago area premiere of “Footloose.” Directed
and choreographed by Lara Teeter, this musical rocks to the rhythm
of its Oscar- and Tony-nominated top 40 score (augmented with dynamic
new songs), while telling the true story of a town’s ban
on dancing and the spirited teen who seeks to lift it. “Footloose” celebrates
the wisdom of listening to young people and guiding them with a
warm heart and an open mind. The music is by Tom Snow, Eric Carmen,
Kenny Loggins and Sammy Hager, and the story is based on a book
by Dean Pitchford. “Footloose” will be performed at
7:30 p.m. Nov. 14 and Nov. 15; 2 p.m. Nov. 16; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20,
Nov. 21 and Nov. 22; and 2 p.m. Nov. 23, at Cahn Auditorium, 600
Emerson St.
Northwestern
will present the world premiere of “Irving
Berlin’s American Vaudeville,” a new musical revue
created, directed and choreographed by David H. Bell, one of the
Chicago area’s most talented and innovative musical theatre
directors. This exciting premiere explores America in its most
volatile era of social, political and ideological change. The production
will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 and Jan. 31; 2 p.m. Feb.
1; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5, Feb. 6 and Feb. 7; and 2 p.m. Feb. 8, at the
Josephine Louis Theatre, 20 Arts Circle Drive.
Winner
of the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature, Luigi Pirandello was one
of the most original and powerful dramatists of his time
-- the playwright “par excellence” of the conflict
between illusion and reality. His play “Six Characters in
Search of an Author” is filled with humor and despair and
is considered his greatest work. First performed in 1921, Pirandello’s
play focuses on six family members embroiled in their own human
drama who come to a theatre and demand that the manager and his
actors stage their life story. Northwestern’s production
will be directed by theatre faculty member Bud Beyer and will be
performed at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 and Feb. 14; 2 p.m. Feb. 15; 7:30
p.m. Feb. 19, Feb. 20 and Feb. 21; and 2 p.m. Feb. 22, at the Ethel
M. Barber Theatre.
“Danceworks 2004” is an annual showcase that features
the finest choreography of Northwestern University’s Dance
Program, which this season celebrates its 25th anniversary. Billy
Siegenfeld, artistic director of the Jump Rhythm Jazz Project,
and a member of Northwestern’s dance faculty, returns to
direct this year’s show, which includes new choreography
by dance faculty members and guest artists. Performances are scheduled
for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27 and Feb. 28; 2 p.m. Feb. 29; 7:30 p.m. March
4, March 5 and March 6; and 2 p.m. March 7, at the Josephine Louis
Theatre.
Barry
Kornhauser’s family play “This is Not a Pipe
Dream” explores the dreams and wishes of artist Rene Magritte
as a young boy. As a youngster his father tells him that his desire
to become a painter is merely a “pipe dream.” Magritte
perseveres and becomes a painter who works with the style of surrealism
to understand the world and communicate with it. The production
is suitable for audience members aged 8 and older. Directed by
Lynn Kelso, it will be performed at 7:30 p.m. April 15 and April
16; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. April 17; and 2 p.m. April 18, at the
Ethel M. Barber Theatre.
“The Birds” is considered one of Aristophanes’ finest
comedies. It tells the story of two Athenians, in search of “elsewhere,” who
arrived in the land of the Birds. Thus begins a comedic and provocative
encounter between humans, birds and Gods as wildly different worlds
collide. The contemporary reworking of Aristophanes classic comedy,
conceived and directed by Leslie Buxbaum, will be performed at
7:30 p.m. April 23 and April 24; 2 p.m. April 25; 7:30 p.m. April
29, April 30 and May 1; and 2 p.m. May 2, at the Josephine Louis
Theatre.
Pulitzer
Prize- and Tony Award-winning playwright Tony Kushner’s
adaptation of Joachim Neugroschel’s “The Dybbuk” explores
the themes of lust and desire, of worship and holiness, and corruption
and sin. A “dybbuk” is a wandering soul that enters
another person’s body and holds fast. A haunting tale of
Jewish mysticism and transcendental love, “The Dybbuk” tells
the story of two ill-fated lovers -- a penniless, but devout student
of Jewish mysticism and the young woman he adores. “The Dybbuk” will
be directed by David Winitsky and will be performed at 7:30 p.m.
May 14 and May 15; 2 p.m. May 16; 7:30 p.m. May 20, May 21 and
May 22; and 2 p.m. May 23, at the Ethel M. Barber Theatre.
Northwestern’s 2003-04 Mainstage Theatre Season will be
among the events taking place during a 15-month celebration of
the University’s School of Communication’s 125th anniversary.
An eight-show series subscription is $127 for the general public;
$110 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and
$63 for full-time students.
Theatre
fans can add a ninth show (“Pop-Sical”) to
their series subscription for an additional $20 for the general
public; $18 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff;
and $10 for full-time students.
Single
ticket prices for “The Real Thing,” “Six
Characters in Search of an Author,” “Danceworks 2004,” “This
is Not a Pipe Dream” and “The Birds” are $17
for the general public; $15 for senior citizens and Northwestern
faculty and staff; and $9 for full-time students.
Single
ticket prices for “Footloose,” “Irving
Berlin’s American Vaudeville,” “The Dybbuk” and “Pop-Sical” are
$24 for the general public; $20 for senior citizens and Northwestern
faculty and staff; and $11 for full-time students.
Northwestern’s
2003-04 Mainstage Theatre Season is generously supported by the
Sara Lee Foundation.
For more information or to order tickets by phone, call the Barber
Theatre box office at (847) 491-7282 or visit the box office (open
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday)
to order subscriptions or individual tickets.
Online ticket sales for Northwestern Mainstage productions are
also available through TicketWeb.com by going to the Northwestern
Theatre and Interpretation Center Web site at http://www.tic.northwestern.edu/tickets.html and
clicking the TicketWeb icon.
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