Cedarville University Theatre - 2005-2006 Season
Main Stage Productions
The purpose of theatre is to entertain, to educate, to inspire, to expose us to a part of the world that we may never experience firsthand. Our 2005-2006 season accomplishes all of these goals. We begin in the fall with Ibsen's thought-provoking drama, A Doll's House. The winter production of Arsenic and Old Lace, a classic comedy, will provide an enjoyable evening of laughter as you enter the world of two maiden sisters with some strange ideas about compassion. The season finale is Shakespeare's timeless story of Romeo and Juliet. We invite you to join us for each production and experience for yourself the many ways that theatre can enrich life.
A Doll's House
by Henrik Ibsen
Directed by Diane Merchant
Performance Dates: October 7-8, 13-15, 2005
Nora Helmer, wife to Torvald and mother of three children, appears to enjoy the life of a pampered, indulged child. But as her economic dependence becomes brutally clear, Nora's acceptance of the status quo undergoes a profound change, to the horror of the bewildered Torvald. He himself has been caught in the web of a conservative society which demands that he exert strict control over his family and home. Nora chooses a desperate course of action resulting in one of the most famous (and shocking) climaxes in all of 19th century drama.
Nora's awakening to a sense of true self-awareness, for the first time in her life, was described by CurtainUp™ as "an intense and compelling journey though the human spirit." The Cedarville University production features the new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's play by Frank McGuinness, which won the 1997 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. The adaptation resonates with today's audiences by highlighting the tension between merely existing and truly living. The London Sunday Times described A Doll's House as "superb ... a play very much for today. Frank McGuinness' spirited new version secures its place as a truly contemporary masterpiece."
Arsenic and Old Lace
by Joseph Kesserling
Directed by David Robey
Performance Dates: January 27-28, February 2-4, 2006
Set and first produced in the early 1940s, this American comedy provided a wonderful diversion for American audiences focused on winning a war. In the 60 years since it was first staged, it has become an American classic.
In this story, we meet two elderly and charming maiden sisters pursuing a mission of mercy. Their mission is to help lonely men escape a world of sadness through a powerful combination of arsenic and "old lace." With the shovel of their brother, who thinks he is digging the Panama Canal in the cellar for President Teddy Roosevelt, these ever-so-polite ladies want to keep their mission "a secret" from their theatre-reviewing nephew. A horrified Mortimer seeks an immediate and loving way to protect his aunts and end their mission. The pursuit of his plan reveals an array of eccentric family members. This story is guaranteed to warm a cold February evening.
Romeo and Juliet
Original painting by
Sir Frank Dicksee
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Rebecca Baker
Performance Dates: March 31-April 1, 6-8, 2006
Romeo and Juliet was a "box office hit" the first time Shakespeare staged it in 1595, and it remains a favorite of audiences everywhere. As the classic romantic tragedy opens, Romeo is in love with love. Then he crashes a party and meets Juliet. This beautiful, intelligent girl, he later discovers, is the daughter of his family's mortal enemy. Romeo exuberantly declares his love anyway, and the rest is theatrical history. The wedding Romeo and Juliet hope will unite their families leads to a funeral. With their death, a pair of "star-crossed lovers" bury their parents' strife.
The effect of Shakepeare's play reaches across the centuries. Romeo and Juliet engages our passions, challenging ethnic hatred in our own culture. It touches our hearts, inspiring the tender ideal of love that comes once in a lifetime, love that is worth giving everything for, sometimes even life itself.
Student Productions
NeXtage Production
The student production company NeXtage, sponsored by Alpha Beta Phi (the Cedarville University chapter of the national honorary dramatic organization, Alpha Psi Omega) will present a student-directed production on November 17-19, 2005. The goals and mission of NeXtage are to focus attention on social issues, promote discussion of controversial ideas, and broaden audience perspective through performance. The production will take place at 8 p.m. each evening on the Alford Auditorium stage. The play title will be announced at a future date.