THEATRE & DANCE DEPARTMENT PERFORMANCES - 2011 - 2012

Oct. 6 – 9, 2011 Playboy of the Western World by John Millington Synge Page Theatre, directed by Patrick Sutton, Artistic Director Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland

The Playboy of the Western World is a three-act play written by Irish playwright John Millington Synge and first performed at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on January 26, 1907.[1] It is set in Michael James Flaherty's public house in County Mayo (on the west coast of Ireland) during the early 1900s. It tells the story of Christy Mahon, a young man running away from his farm, claiming he killed his father. The locals are more interested in vicariously enjoying his story than in condemning the immorality of his murderous deed. He captures the romantic attention of the bar-maid Pegeen Mike, the daughter of Flaherty.

Nov. 16 – 20, 2011 Machinal by Sophie Treadwell Valencia Studio Theatre, directed by Judy Myers, MFA

Machinal is a play written by American playwright and journalist Sophie Treadwell, inspired by the real life case of convicted and executed murderess Ruth Snyder. The story involves Helen, whose entire life has been dictated by the people and machines around her. She follows the rituals that society expects of a woman, however resistant she may feel about them, and subsequently marries her boss, whom she finds repulsive. After having a baby with him, followed by an affair with a younger man who fuels her lust for life, she is driven to murder her husband. She is found guilty of the crime and meets her end in one of the deadliest of machines, the electric chair.

Feb. 23 – 26, 2012 Guys and Dolls by Frank Loesser Page Theatre, directed by Dr. Gary Diomandes, music direction by Judy Myers, MFA

Guys and Dolls is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" and "Blood Pressure", two short stories by Damon Runyon. The curtain rises to reveal bustling New York City in the style of Damon Runyon. In a pantomime of never-ceasing activities, New Yorkers, tourists, gamblers, crooks, cops, drunks, missionaries and dancers go about their business in the hustle and bustle. Three small-time gamblers, Nicely-Nicely Johnson, Benny Southstreet, and Rusty Charlie, emerge from the crowd and are arguing over which horse will win tomorrow's big race  when the band members of the Save-a-Soul Mission, a local Salvation Army-like organization, pass by. Their leader, the pious and beautiful Sergeant Sarah Brown, begins a fervent street corner sermon to all the passers-by, encouraging them to quit the evils of drinking, lying and especially gambling and promoting a revival meeting at their mission the coming Sunday.

Mar. 28 – Apr. 1, 2012 Short Play Showcase Valencia Arts Center, student directed and designed

Apr. 26 – 28, 2012 Dance Repertory Company Le Corsaire, Page Theatre, directed by Tammy Schmidt, MFA

The ballet Le Corsaire, loosely based on a poem by Lord Byron, follows Medora, a beautiful slave girl, and Conrad, a dashing pirate, as they journey through a tapestry of captive maidens, rich sultans, swashbuckling abductions, and dramatic rescues—all culminating in a happy ending.  Originally choreographed by Marius Petipa to music by Adolfe Adam, Le Corsaire  continues to delight audiences more than 150 years after its premiere.

Tickets for all shows: $10 Adults, $5 Seniors & Students