The Season Opens

The 2009-10 season at the Strayer-Wood Theatre has opened with a charming production of A.R. Gurney's What I Did Last Summer. The show played to nearly sold out crowds this past weekend in our black box space and audiences left smiling. In fact, I believe I have heard from the box office that tomorrow night is sold out as well. To see photos of the show, visit http://www.uni.edu/theatre/WIDLS.html. (Photos courtesy of Michael Brown, assistant lighting designer)

In addition to a wonderful performance, audiences can also enjoy a DVD documenting the process of producing the show, from first read-through with the cast, to the design presentation, blocking rehearsals and studio work calls. The DVD, produced by the UNI Electric Media student organization, Cedar River Productions, plays in the lobby next to the box office before, during and after every performance.

Work continues on our next production, The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performedby the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade by Peter Weiss. Jay Edelnant and Gwendolyn Schwinke are co-directing this ground-breaking work of theatre that mixes music, movement, history, fantasy, fiction and non-fiction.

Guest artist Cat Chow recently spent two weeks in residence working with faculty and students on the costume designs for the production. On Saturday, September 24th, students from the theatre and art departments and the textile and apparels program came together for a six hour session working on costumes with the designer and Strayer-Wood costume faculty. A few photos from the work call are posted http://www.uni.edu/theatre/BehindTheScenes.html.

On Thursday, October 1, Cat meet with Jay, Gwendolyn and members of the costume area for a dress parade, an event in which the actors dress in their costumes and stand for inspection for the director and designer. Photos from the dress parade can be seen online at http://www.uni.edu/theatre/MaratSade.html

Last night, Jay, Gwendoly and the designers hosted the design presentation for the show, sharing with the audience their vision for bringing this show to life on the Strayer-Wood stage.
Marat/Sade runs November 6- 8 and 13 - 15. Tickets are available now.

Each fall, the Department of Theatre invites students who spent the summer working in theatre to share with the faculty and fellow students their experiences. This afternoon over the lunch hour, six students shared their stories, including how they found the jobs, their responsibilities and what they learned. Julie Baldwin spent two months as an intern with the Seattle Children's Theatre, which she raved about, telling us that the experience "changed her life." Tom Kobes returned for his second summer at the Rocky Mountain Theatre for Kids in Denver, where he stage managed Suessical, Hollywood to Broadway and High School Musical 2. Michael Brown completed an internship with the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, New York, where he was offered the opportunity to design lights for the company's summer children's production. Ronnie Wells spent his third summer in Kilgore, Texas, at the Texas Shakespeare Festival as a carpenter. He plans to return next summer as the props master. Chad Albert shared some of his experiences working as a scenic intern at the Utah Festival Opera, where fellow student Jon Hudspeth also worked. And finally, Will Azbill talked about his experience as a last minute emergency hire for props at the Des Moines Metro Opera. Although it is only October, many students are already thinking about next summer and this dijscussion offers other students insight into where to look for opportunities and how to apply. Speaking of which, I should get to a few letters of recommendation that I need to write.