An Evening at Provincetown

featuring “The Long Voyage Home” by Eugene ONeill,
“Cocaine” by Pendleton King, and “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell

directed by professor Dawn Larsen

October 24-26, 2013
7:30 pm Thursday-Saturday
Fine Arts Theatre, Hyman Fine Arts Center

THE STORY:

Located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod, in the early twentieth century Provincetown transformed from a sleepy New England coastal town into a magnet for artistic and literary talent. Drawing from the rich output of the playwrights who converged on the town, a group began to self-produce new American plays on makeshift stages in 1915, later branching out to form the Provincetown Playhouse in Greenwich Village, New York City.

The University Theatre has selected several seminal one act plays from 1916 and 1917, the earliest days of this movement to produce new drama during a period when the theatre was both an escape from and a commentary upon a new world at war.

Tape

by Stephen Belber

directed by Professor Keith Best

February 19-22, 2014
7:30 pm Wed-Fri, 2:00 pm Sat
Performing Arts Center, Downtown Florence

THE STORY:

Jon, an aspiring filmmaker on the verge of hitting it big, hooks up for the weekend with his best friend from high school, Vince, a volunteer fireman who makes his money selling dope. Jon’s new film is being shown at a festival in Lansing, Michigan, and Vince has come from Oakland to see it.

Over the course of the evening, Vince finally gets Jon to admit that ten years ago he date-raped Amy Randall, a girl whom they both dated in high school—only then to reveal that he’s taped their entire conversation. And not only that, he’s invited Amy to have dinner with them that night. Beneath its suspenseful, high-stakes surface, Tape examines questions of motive, memory, truth and perception.

“Fascinating and entertaining…a terrific play… Real talk, real characters, real situations — a real play.” — NY Post.

THE CAST:

Vince: Jordan Brown
Jon: Lahim Ballard
Amy: Imanni Way

Assistant Director: Rebecca Whitten

Miss Witherspoon

by Christopher Durang

directed by professor L. Dawn Larsen

April 10-12, 2014
7:30 pm Thur-Sat
Fine Arts Theatre, Hyman Fine Arts Center

THE STORY:

Veronica, already scarred by too many failed relationships, finds the world a frightening place. Skylab, an American space station that came crashing down to earth, in particular, haunts and enrages her. So she has committed suicide, and is now in what she expected to be heaven but is instead something called the Bardo (the netherworld in Tibetan Buddhism), and the forces there keep trying to make her reincarnate. A lovely if strong-willed Indian spirit guide named Maryamma is intent on getting Veronica back to earth so she can learn the lessons her soul is supposed to learn. Veronica — nicknamed “Miss Witherspoon” by Maryamma — didn’t expect there to be any afterlife, but if there has to be one, she demands St. Peter and the pearly gates. In the end, Miss W finds her own personal way and she finally agrees to return to earth to help… well, save the planet.

“This is Durang at the top of his metaphysical, apocalyptic, high-and-pop cultural game… thoroughly lovable. And funny.” — NY Newsday.