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University Theatre to present two contemporary dramas
LAWRENCE — Two contemporary dramas directed by theater graduate students at the University of Kansas will be staged Nov. 29-Dec. 8 at the William Inge Memorial Theatre in Murphy Hall.
Presented by KU’s Department of Theatre and Film, University Theatre and Weavers department store, the 2007 Graduate Directing Projects include the world premiere of “The Death of Romance” by Adam R. Burnett, Topeka senior, and “Fool For Love” by Sam Shepard.
“The Death of Romance” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29 and 30 and 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1 and 2. Susanne Kepley, Chicago, Ill., doctoral student, is the director; Melissa Sher, St. Louis, Mo., senior, is the scenic designer; Ann Sitzman, Prairie Village junior, is the lighting designer; and Erin Niedenthal, Lawrence sophomore, is costume designer.
In “The Death of Romance,” a flamboyant romance novelist, Linda Wood, could potentially be a genius. At least that’s what her editor and the characters from her novel think. As Linda nears the completion of the final novel in a lucratively successful series, she is faced with an onslaught of major life alterations: the death of her father she wrote off years ago, the arrival of her estranged sister, an adoring editor, all the talk of “genius” and a pair of characters she has to kill off before she can make the next bold step. As a new presence begins to flesh itself out in Linda’s mind and strange discoveries are made, her characters fight for their lives and Linda finds herself with rash decisions to make.
“Fool For Love” will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4-6 and 5 p.m. Dec. 8. It is directed by Bill Harper, Baxter Springs doctoral student. Sher and Sitzman are also designers for this production with costume design by Leah Arlen, Houston, Texas, senior in theatre design.
Arguably Shepard’s best-known play, “Fool for Love” focuses on the dark side of life in the West. The play is primarily a struggle, mostly of words, between two on-again/off-again lovers, set in a motel on the edge of the Mojave Desert. Crossing the abyss of cultural taboos, the pair’s combustible relationship is one of passion, betrayal and jealousy played out against the vanishing myths of the Old West.
Theater student Burnett has been writing plays since the age of 6. He has performed in a number of KU productions and in shows at the Topeka Civic Theatre and Helen Hocker Theater. Burnett received the Topeka Performing Arts Center Young Artist of the Year Award in Creative Writing in 2003, was a two-time semi-finalist for the Blank Theatre Young Playwriting Competition in Los Angeles and was a two-time NFAA finalist for prose and playwriting. This summer, Burnett was one of 15 playwrights chosen to spend two weeks near Spoleto, Italy, with the LaMaMa International Playwriting Retreat led by Tony-nominated playwright Lisa Kron. A member of the Dramatist Guild, Burnett has twice worked with award-winning playwright Arthur Kopit through the MET Ensemble’s Playwriting Intensive.
Last spring, his script, “The Sensualist,” won the Grant Goodman Playwriting Award at KU and earlier this fall received a staged reading by Title:Point Productions in New York City. Burnett is the artistic director of student-organized Buran Theatre Company, which will produce his newest play, “Nightmares,” this February at the Lawrence Arts Center.
First written as a one-act play in December 2005, “The Death of Romance” had a staged reading at KU in May 2006. Burnett put it aside for a year before the University Theatre Season Selection Committee asked him to revise it for production during the current season.
“I was always fascinated with Linda and wanted to flesh her out,” Burnett said. “I wanted to do her justice.”
“The Death of Romance” is a participating entry in the 2008 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival XXXX. The play will be entered into competition for the National Student Playwriting Award, Paula Vogel Playwriting Award, David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award, Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award and the Mark Twain Prize for Comic Writing.
All performances of “The Death of Romance” are sold out. A limited number of general admission tickets for “Fool for Love” are on sale in the KU ticket offices: University Theatre, 864-3982; Lied Center, 864-ARTS; and Student Union Activities, 864-7469; and online at www.kutheatre.com. Tickets are $12 for the public, $10 for students and $11 for senior citizens and KU faculty and staff. All major credit cards are accepted for phone and online orders.
Cast members are listed below by name, level in school, major, parents’ names, high school, show and role:
DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Lawrence
Ron Willis, professor emeritus of theatre, “The Death of Romance,” Old Man.
JEWELL COUNTY
From Mankato 66956
Jenna Bleecker, senior, theatre major, daughter of John and Jeanne Bleecker, Mankato Senior High School, “The Death of Romance,” Pam.
JOHNSON COUNTY
From Lenexa 66216
Joseph Robert “Joe” Carey, senior, film and African-American studies major, son of Beverly and John Carey, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, “Fool for Love,” Eddie.
From Overland Park 66213
Lara C. Thomas, senior, theatre and English major, daughter of Jay and Mary Cay Thomas, Blue Valley Northwest High School, “The Death of Romance,” Julie.
From Stilwell 66085
Matthew Crooks, junior, theatre and film and English major, son of Mike Crooks and Carol Wunderlich, Blue Valley High School, “The Death of Romance,” Matthew.
RENO COUNTY
From Hutchinson 67502
Brady Blevins, senior, theatre major, son of Curt and Cindy Blevins, Hutchinson High School, “Fool for Love,” Martin.
COLORADO
From Littleton 80123
Kacie Leigh Dienstbach, senior, theatre major, daughter of Eric and Donna Dienstbach, Heritage High School, “Fool for Love,” May.
ILLINOIS
From Downers Grove 60516
Meg Saricks, senior, theatre major, daughter of Chris and Joyce Saricks, Downers Grove South High School, “The Death of Romance,” Linda.
MISSOURI
From Kansas City 64113
Erik LaPointe, junior, theatre major, son of Michelle LaPointe and Dan White, Rockhurst High School, “The Death of Romance,” Jacques.
From Lee’s Summit 64063
Robert Kent Schulte, senior, theatre major, son of Richard Schulte, Lee’s Summit High School, “Fool for Love,” Old Man.
NORTH DAKOTA AND OKLAHOMA
From Fargo, N.D. 58102; and Stillwater, Okla. 74075
Amy Virginia Buchanan, junior, theatre and film major, daughter of David and Cindy Buchanan, Stillwater High School, “The Death of Romance,” Sofia.
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