Theatre productions show promise
By Ashley Keihn | Staff Writer
The theatre department has a full line-up of shows scheduled for this year that promise Shakespearean comedy and Brechtian drama.
Rehearsals for the first theatre production, “Comedy of Errors” by William Shakespeare, are well under way with a 20-member cast.
The Shakespearean comedy is the story of two sets of twins unaware of one another, living in two different towns. Ridiculous mix-ups happen throughout the play when the twins meet in the town of Ephesus. The play itself deals with the themes of reality, coincidence, time and love.
According to the Director of Theatre, Brad Wright, the set will be something to look forward to, with a look in Caribbean colors, costumes and music, constituting of Cuban and Mambo of the 40s, 50s and 60s.
“One of the fun things of ‘Comedy of Errors’ is the setting,” Wright said. “It’s not in Elizabethan England like you would expect. It is set in Cuba in the 1960s around the time of their revolution.”
Wright said one of the issues at the beginning is when the father comes to Ephesus from Syracuse. He has been arrested and needs ransom money. He is sentenced to death because he is from Syracuse. Wright said Jim Ream, theatre department chair, came up with the concept of Cuba after the revolution.
“The idea just kind of took off from there,” Wright said.
“Comedy of Errors” is set to run Oct. 2-4 and 15-17. Included in the cast is UIndy senior Alex Oberheide, junior Chelsey Wood and senior Chelsea Anderson.
Other productions planned for this semester are the Student Directed Productions. Anderson will be directing “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress,” and is the only play to have been decided. It will be a full-length production as opposed to a one-act play. “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress,” written by Alan Ball, features a cast of women and only one male role near the end of the play to stir up some trouble. The cast already has been chosen and rehearsals will begin after “Comedy of Errors” closes. The play will run Nov. 20-22.
“It is a very funny show, [and] a very heartwarming comedy,” Anderson said.
Anderson proposed the play to faculty members last semester and the decision was made that this would be part of her senior project. She plans to go to graduate school for directing.
“[Directing] is an art form in and of itself. I love watching the actors interact. It is fascinating to me. I like creating a ripple. It’s interesting to see what happens,” Anderson said.
Second semester productions have also been chosen, “The Good Person of Szechwan” will be on stage Feb. 19-21 and 25-27 as part of the UIndy “Doing Good Series.” The annual dinner theatre production will wrap up the year as somewhat of an experiment.
“It is a flat-out farce, so it will be a comedy to finish out the year,” Wright said. “Right now, though, we are knee-deep in ‘Comedy of Errors.’”
