Displaying items by tag: Play

The U of U Department of Theatre is excited to open their season by returning for the fourth year to the Hayes Christensen Theatre at the Marriott Center for Dance for Chess, The Musical a politically-driven, Cold-War–era musical about a chess tournament where players, lovers, politicians, and spies collide through manipulation. Then, David Carey from Oregon Shakespeare Festival joins in October to direct Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. November brings Charles L. Mee’s Big Love, an elaborate, updated retelling of one of the oldest plays in Western history, The Danaids by Aeschylus.

In the spring, they present Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s musical comedy Company, directed by Ryan Emmons, followed by the true(ish) history of an 1869 expedition, Men On Boats by Jaclyn Backhaus in March. Department of Theatre closes with Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s first play, The Rivals, a comedy of manners set in 18th-century Bath, England.

The Department of Theatre strives to maximize the access, interest, and impact of theatre for our diverse audiences. Their productions will ignite exciting dialogue through talkbacks, panels discussions, and other artist-interface opportunities.

Music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus
Lyrics by Tim Rice
Based on an idea by Tim Rice
Directed and Choreographed by Denny Berry
September 14-23, 2018
The Hayes Christensen Theatre at the Marriott Center for Dance

By William Shakespeare
Directed by David Carey
October 26-November 4, 2018
Studio 115

By Charles L. Mee
Directed by Robert Scott Smith
November 9-18, 2018
Babcock Theatre

 
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by George Furth
Originally Produced and Directed on Broadway by Harold Prince
Orchestration by Jonathan Tunick
Directed by Ryan Emmons
February 15- March 3, 2019
Babcock Theatre

 
By Jaclyn Backhaus
Directed by Sarah Shippobotham
March 1-10, 2019
Studio 115

 
By Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Directed by Alexandra Harbold
April 5-14, 2019
Babcock Theatre
Tickets are now available at tickets.utah.edu

The University of Utah's Department of Theatre closes the 2017-18 season with Our Country's Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker, based on the novel "The Playmaker" by Thomas Keneally, April 6-15 in the Babcock Theatre. Directed by Sarah Shippobotham, professor of theatre, this play-within-a-play is a story in which justice, power and the possibility of redemption come under scrutiny.

In Jan. 1788, the first of the British prison ships arrived at Botany Bay, Australia and settled the penal colony at Port Jackson, the site of current-day Sydney. Many of the prisoners had committed minor crimes and their wardens were military men who fought and lost the war against the American colonies. When hope and supplies run low, a lieutenant tries to increase morale by staging a comedy, "The Recruiting Office" by George Farquhar, using the convicts as the cast.

The creative set of this modern classic designed by Department of Theatre's technical director and associate professor Kyle Becker, aims to put the themes of this inspiring play at the fore. Performed by a cast of highly talented actors from the Actor Training Program and Musical Theatre Program, this production is set to be an innovative portrayal of the struggle for justice, power and humanity.

Stay after the show for a conversation with the cast and creative team about the production following the Friday, April 13 performance.

Our Country's Good at a glance
Dates and Times: April 6-8 and 12-15 at 7:30PM with matinees on April 14 and 15 at 2PM
Post-Performance Discussion: April 13.
Location: The Babcock Theatre, located at 300 S. and University Street (1400 East) in the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, lower level. Free parking is available to the south of the theatre and at Rice Eccles Stadium.
Tickets: General Admission tickets are $18, University of Utah faculty and staff are $15, University of Utah students are free with UCard and all other students with valid student ID are $8.50. Tickets can be obtained by calling 801-581-7100, online  or at the Performing Arts Box Office, located at Kingsbury Hall.