Category: Theatre

“Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo,” a play by Rajiv Joseph, explores how the lives of two American Marines and an Iraqi translator are forever changed by an encounter with a quick-witted tiger who haunts the streets of war-torn Baghdad attempting to find meaning, forgiveness and redemption amidst the city’s ruins.

“Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo” will be performed by Tech Theatre in the McArdle Theater for six performances, Thursday, October 15, 2015, through Saturday, October 17, 2015, and October 22 – 24, 2015. Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. each evening.

“Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo” examines both the power and the perils of human nature.

From Tech Today, by Tech Theatre.

Tech Theatre Company to perform “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo” Oct. 15-17 and 22-24 in McArdle Theater

The New York Times writes, “Set in the chaotic first days of the American invasion of Iraq, this boldly imagined, harrowing and surprisingly funny drama considers the long afterlife of violent acts, as well as the impenetrable mysteries of the afterlife itself.”

According to Director Roger Held, “While depicting a devastatingly cruel and venal world [the tiger] offers hope of redemption and meaningful life after a history of complacency and compliance. What we must do is not easy; we must find and risk being ourselves…”

Read more at Keweenaw Now.

What is a Violapalooza? Lollapalooza with violas? Come to the 4^th Keweenaw String Festival starting at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 10, 2015, at the Rozsa Center and find out.

Picture a host of young Kurt Cobains, playing classical music instead of Nirvana. We’ll have stars of the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, special guests, along with emerging, talented violists of the Keweenaw—all on stage at the Rozsa.

For more information, see the Michigan Tech event page.

From Tech Today.

Rozsa Center to host “Senses of Land” Gallery exhibit, Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra “Violapalooza” concert Oct. 10

What is a Viola you ask? According to Wikipedia: “The viola is a bowed string instrument that is slightly larger than a violin, with a lower and deeper sound.” The KSO’s Violapalooza this Saturday will feature many, many violas!

Read more at Keweenaw Now.

Lisa Johnson (VPA) presented poems from her collection, “Addition and Subtraction,” in July at the Second International Poetry Festival of Aguacat’n in Huehuetenango, Guatemala. The Aguacat’n International Poetry Festival was initiated by the Macondo Literary Group of Guatemala and is supported by the Editorial Ediciones Caffeine and Converged Voice Literary Magazine. Poets from Mexico, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Germany and the US presented their work during the three-day event.

From Tech Today.

The William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning seeks input for its annual Distinguished Teaching Awards, which recognize outstanding contribution to the instructional mission of the University.

Based on more than 50,000 student rating of instruction responses, ten finalists have been identified for the 2015 awards. The selection committee is soliciting comments from students, staff, faculty and alumni to aid in its deliberation process.

Professor Mary Carol Friedrich is one of the finalists in the Associate Professor/Professor category.

Comments on the nominees are due by Friday, April 3, and can be completed online.

The process for determining the Distinguished Teaching Award recipients from this list of finalists also involves the additional surveying of their classes. The selection committee makes the final determination of the award recipients. The recipients of the 2015 Distinguished Teaching Award will be formally announced in May 2015.

Read more at Tech Today.

Visual and Performing Arts faculty attended the Kennedy Center American College Theater (KCACTF) Region 3 Festival, Jan. 6–10, 2015, in Milwaukee.

MC Friedrich presented a workshop on costume draping, Christopher Plummer presented a workshop on wireless microphones and Josh Loar taught a workshop on using QLab for theatrical sound design. Trish Helsel was the workshop coordinator for the entire festival.

From Tech Today.

2015 Region III KCACTF Award Recipients from Michigan Tech

Design Storm
Honorable Mention
Sound: Austin Scott
Award Recipients
Scenery: Mark Postma

S.P.A.M. Prop Award
Jamie Aneshansel

Regional Design Projects
Sound Design
Recipient
Eric Smith

Tech Olympics
Individual Event Best Times
Costumes
Lance Cohoon and Cambry Wade
Knots
Josh Maiville
Sound
Devin Miller and Jason Scott

The Games of the Technological Olympiad
Team Event
Bronze Medal
Alec Greitsell and Josh Maiville
Silver Medal
Jamie Aneshansel and Robert Billings

Design and Technology Allied Design and Technologies Award
Honorable Mention
Jamie Aneshansel

Tech Theatre Company

Spring Auditions!

Antigone
The Producers

Auditions
November 30 and December 1, 2014, 7-10 pm
2nd Floor Walker Arts and Humanities Center

Sign Up Now!

Signing up ensures priority audition time. We are looking for actors, dancers, and singers for our two spring productions!*

Performances for Antigone will be February 19-21 and 26-28, 2015.
Performances for The Producers will be April 9-11, 2015.

The Rehearsal schedule may vary but most rehearsals will be Sunday–Thursday, 7:00-10:00 pm.
A finalized rehearsal schedule will be sent out after auditions.

*You must be 16 years of age or older to audition.

Contact Jamie Aneshansel (jlanesha@mtu.edu).

Tips: 

• Familiarize yourself with the audition material so you understand the plot and characters.
• Practice so that you can make the most of eye contact when you read with a partner.  (Try to glance at the script and deliver the line to the other person and really listen and respond to them.)

Below are summaries of the plays:

Antigone is chronologically the third part of the Oedipus Rex Trilogy which tells the story of Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus, after her father’s death. The story opens at the end of a battle between Antigone’s brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, for control of Thebes. Both brothers died in the battle, but Creon, the new king of Thebes, has declared that while Eteocles should be buried with honors Polyneices body should be left unburied. This is a severe punishment for Polyneices since the Greeks believed that one could not go to the afterlife unless one’s body was properly buried. Since she loves both of her brothers, Antigone decides to bury Polyneices in spite of Creon’s order and tries to enlist her sister, Ismene, in the task. Ismene refuses to break Creon’s law. Antigone says the law of the Gods is more important than mortal man’s law. It is ironic that just as Antigone is burying her brother, Creon comes on stage declaring that anyone caught doing so will be put to death.

When Antigone is caught burying her brother, she makes no apology, declaring that she is only doing what is right. Creon is a proud man and no amount of convincing will make him change his mind. The plot thickens as it comes out that Creon’s son Haemon is engaged to marry Antigone. He tries to use reason to convince his father that killing Antigone for burying her brother will make him unpopular and hurt his rule. Creon accuses his son of disloyalty and sends Antigone to be locked in a cave with only limited food and water thus sending her to her death. Finally, Teiresias, the blind prophet who foretold the tragedy of Oedipus, arrives and manages to convince Creon to change his mind by foretelling of the deaths that will come from this Creon’s action, but it is too late. When they get to the cave, Antigone is already dead, a suicide. Haemon also commits suicide and upon learning of her son’s death, Eurydice, wife to Creon, follows her son’s example. Creon is left with nothing but his kingship He had put his pride and his power ahead of his family and angered the gods. Although he kept his kingship it was poor consolation for losing both his son and his wife.

The Producers is based around the character of Max Bialystock, a down and out Broadway producer whose latest work flopped on opening night. Max, plagued by his former success and scrabbling to stay afloat, experiences a change in fortune when downtrodden accountant, Leo Bloom, discovers there is money to be made in Max’s theatrical failure.  As a result, the two formerly defeated business men form an unlikely union with the goal of creating the world’s worst musical. The plot develops as the duo enlists the help of ridiculous and often farcical characters on the way such as former Nazi and on-going Third Reich enthusiast Franz Liebkind, Ulla the blonde bombshell secretary/receptionist and the flamboyant homosexual director Roger De Bris. As a result of the characters combined brainpower and ludicrous behaviour Spring Time for Hitler is born in Broadway.

VPA Holding Auditions for Two Plays on Sunday and Monday

The Department of Visual and Performing Arts is holding auditions for two plays, “Antigone” and “The Producers,” on Sunday, Nov. 30, and and Monday, Dec. 1, from 7 to 10 p.m. each night, on the second floor of the Walker Arts and Humanities Center. Performances for “Antigone” will be Feb. 19-21 and Feb. 26-28, 2015. Performances for “The Producers” will be April 9-11, 2015. Students, faculty and community members are welcome to audition.

To audition for a part in either play, sign up using the Google Form to receive audition material and to ensure priority audition time. After filling out this form, you will receive a contact and information form to fill out, as well as all audition material and what to expect at auditions. You are welcome to audition for one or both plays on the same night.

For more information, contact Trish Helsel at helsel@mtu.edu.

From Tech Today.

“Baby with the Bathwater,” a Michigan Tech Theatre Company production, received its Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival response last week. The respondent is awarding the following:

• Certificate of Merit in Lighting Design—Jason Scott
• Certificate of Merit in Sound Design—Steve Green
• Certificate of Merit in Music Composition—Ben Holtz
• Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Nominations—Dollcie Webb and Scott Murphy

Additionally, the respondent nominated scene I-2 with Helen, John and Nanny to be considered for the Region III festival. (“Rose and the Rime,” which was presented by the Department of Visual and Performing Arts last February, is also under consideration.) Results will be announced after the first weekend in December.

The respondent also noted the strength of the production in technical direction (Josh Maiville) and in the system sound design (Jason Pew). The stage managers were recognized in the response.

“Baby with the Bathwater” is directed by Associate Professor Patricia Helsel, with set and costume design by  Professor M. C. Friedrich (VPA).

The show plays today and tomorrow and contains adult language and situations.

From Tech Today.

Auditions for Alternate Realities

Sunday, 21 September, Monday 22nd, Tuesday 23rd 7:30pm Callbacks .
McArdle Theatre
Rehearsal begin 28 September

An ensemble, demonstrating a variety of abilities, of 12 or more men and women will be cast for this set of zany and serious plays. Actors will likely move some scenic units Plays are listed below.

Wear comfortable clothes for dashing about jumping using the floor, in some fast paced plays.

Be prompt, arrive fifteen minute early to complete audition information and scheduling information.

Auditions for Alternate Realities