Utah State Theatre Presents the 2007-08 Season

With all that happens on the Utah State University campus, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle or simply give up and stay home or follow the crowd from one social event to another. But, there are events that appeal to those seeking something different, something more tangible, something with impact — laughs, drama, boldness, originality and life.

Many theater scholars and critics have philosophized that staged action reaches into the depth of human emotion. The 2007-08 Utah State Theatre season follows this sentiment, said Colin Johnson, department of theatre arts head, as the variety of productions throughout the year explore the full range of human emotion, catering to every preference viewers might have.

 

The opening act, taking place Sept. 21 and 22, is the season’s family production, Alicia in Wonder Tierra (or I Can’t Eat Goat Head), by Sylvia Gonzales S. Loosely based on Alice in Wonderland, with a touch of The Wizard of Oz, the adventures of young Alicia take her on a journey from a Mexican curio shop to an understanding of her national heritage.

 

[More extensive descriptions of all the season’s plays are included in the complete press release in the Utah State Today archives.]

 

The season’s musical, a recent Broadway hit, is Urinetown, with book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann. The title of the piece may seem a little absurd, and perhaps somewhat off-putting, said Johnson, also the director of the work, but the production is a winner of three Tony Awards, three Outer Critic’s Circle Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards and two Obie Awards. Urinetown is slated to be on the Morgan Theatre stage Oct. 25-27 and Oct. 31-Nov. 3. A warning to audiences, the show does include bathroom humor.

 

The annual student-directed one-acts take a somewhat different form this season. Rather than a vignette of separate one-act plays, advanced student directors will collaborate to direct portions of the three-act comedy Absurd Person Singular by Alan Ayckbourn. Absurd Person Singular is at the Caine Lyric Theatre (28 West Center St. in Logan), Dec. 3-8.

 

The Cherry Orchard, by renowned Russian writer Anton Chekhov, ushers in UST’s winter schedule Jan. 31, Feb. 1-2 and 6-9. The play details a family’s tragic struggle with land, loss and love.

 

Pig Iron Theatre, an interdisciplinary, collaborative ensemble from Philadelphia, joins the Utah State Theatre season as part of the visiting artists program generously sponsored by the Marie Eccles Caine Foundation. The group breaks the boundaries of dance, drama, clowning, puppetry, music and text to redefine theater as an art form. The acclaimed group brings a new piece, Chekov Lizardbrain, to the Morgan Theatre Feb. 21-23.

 

Capping off the 2007-08 mainstage season in traditional theater fashion is Shakespeare’s King Lear, one of the Bard’s greatest. King Lear takes the Morgan Theatre stage April 10- 12 and 16-19.

 

The final event of the Utah State Theatre season is the New Plays Festival, April 24-26 in the Studio Theatre (FAC 224) on the Utah State campus. Original work by student playwrights is the focus of this event. More details will be announced as they become available.

 

All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. unless noted. Children under the age of 6 are not allowed into the theater. For tickets, call (435) 797-0305, or visit the Smith Spectrum Ticket Office on the Utah State campus. For general inquiries call (435) 797-1500 or email jeremy.gordon@usu.edu. Utah State Theatre information is also available online. [www.usu.edu/theatre].  Please note: Dates and titles are subject to change due to rights pending.

 

Open auditions for Utah State Theatre productions will be held Friday, Sept. 7, and Saturday, Sept. 8. Look for an announcement in Utah State Today next week or call the Theatre Arts Department for details, (435) 797-3046.

 

Contact: Jeremy Gordon (435) 797-1500