Theatre Archives | Page 9 of 15 | Visual and Performing Arts News

Play written by Tech Student Advances to Regional Festival

Published December 14, 2016

A play written by a Michigan Tech student has advanced to the regional finals of a national competition. “Leaving,” by third-year student Sarah Jo Martens, of Hortonville, Wisconsin, was chosen to participate in the final round of the Region III Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.

Martens is an environmental engineering major with a minor in theatre. She is a member of the Pavlis Honors College.

“Leaving,” inspired by Marten’s relationship with her sister Rachel, will be given a fully-staged reading, along with the four other finalists at the Region III Festival, Jan. 10-15 in Indianapolis.

College theatre students from schools in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana will attend the Region III festival to compete in acting, playwriting, design, theatre technology, stage management and other categories.

Two plays from the Region III competition will advance to the Finals at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. in April where they will again be given a reading.

by Visual and Performing Arts

Theatre Auditions Tonight

Published December 1, 2016

By Heather Powers

Theatre Auditions Tonight

Tonight is the final night for the Tech Theatre Company’s public auditions for David Mamet’s “Sexual Perversity in Chicago.”

Auditions will be held in the McArdle Theatre on the second floor of the Walker Arts and Humanities Center. Auditions are set to begin at 7 p.m. with actors asked to arrive at 6:45 p.m. Call backs as needed will be held tomorrow.

No preparation or previous acting experience is required. Rehearsals begin Jan. 9.

Aquila “Murder on the Nile” at the Rozsa

Published October 21, 2016

By Heather Powers

Start with air raid sirens. Add WWII BBC broadcasts. Sprinkle on morse code and British actors during the time of Nazi-occupied Europe and you’ve got the 25th Anniversary National Tour of the acclaimed off-broadway Aquila Theatre Company, who are bringing Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Nile” to the Rozsa Center stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday (Oct. 27).

“Murder on the Nile,” by one of the greatest mystery writers in world literature, features a masterful whodunit and Aquila’s clever signature style. Aquila’s production is set in the early 1940s during World War II at the BBC Home Service studios in London. Air raid sirens were a regular occurrence in London during this time as Great Britain was on constant alert to bombings by Germany. Members of the theatre troupe have arrived and are preparing for a live radio broadcast of “Murder on the Nile,” but another air raid has prevented the full cast from assembling and yet, the show must go on—somehow.

In Agatha Christie’s own staging of her famous novel, “Death on the Nile,” a paddle steamer is cruising the legendary Nile River in 1940’s Egypt. The passengers aboard are abuzz when the famous heiress, Kay Ridgeway, and her penniless new husband, Simon Mostyn board the ship.

Class, money, and reputation are all at stake in one way or another for the passengers and before they know it deceit, theft and murder quickly make waves on the river.

Spurned lover Jacqueline De Severac, protective uncle Canon Pennefather, a troubled German Doctor and a host of colorful and mysterious characters add to the drama and suspense of this classic Agatha Christie mystery.

Who can be trusted? Who holds the truth? Who is a suspect? Whodunit? Aquila Theatre brings its innovative touch to this deliciously dangerous murder mystery, with brilliant direction, superb acting, thrilling physicality and stunning designs. Aquila’s “Murder on the Nile” will be a classic all over again.

Tickets are $22 for adults, $10 for youth, no charge for Michigan Tech students with the Experience Tech Fee. Tickets are available by phone at 7-2073, online, in person at the SDC Central Ticket Office or at the Rozsa Box Office the evening of the performance. (Note: the Rozsa Box Office only opens two hours prior to performances).

By Bethany Jones

Tech Theatre’s “Silent Sky” Opens Tomorrow

Published October 12, 2016

By Heather Powers

Michigan Tech Theatre Company’s first production of the new academic year, “Silent Sky,” opens tomorrow at the McArdle Theatre in the Walker Arts and Humanities Center.

In “Silent Sky” playwright Lauren Gundeson tells the story of astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt. The play blends the discovery of how to measure the universe with the essence of the discoverer’s life story.

Set against the turmoil of the cry for social justice at the beginning of the 20th century, the chronicle of Leavitt counterpoints the power of a passion for work with the desire for love and family.

Join Tech Theatre for a play that contemplates the life, challenges and contributions to our understanding of the universe. Leavitt discovered the first way of measuring the universe, to demonstrate that heavens were larger than the Milky Way, the limit of creation in her day.

“Silent Sky,” will be performed six times over two weeks, Thursday – Saturday, October 13 – 15 and again Oct. 20 – 22, in the McArdle Theatre. Performance time is 7:30 p.m. each night.

According to Director Roger Held, “In spite of the confusion of everyday life with family, making a living, paying taxes, enduring schedules, surviving deadlines, coping with aged vehicles, navigating love and sex, being immersed in political realms of all kinds (science, arts and academia included) peopled with an over-abundance of unpleasant and damaged souls, we are buoyed by the passion for doing difficult things: Henrietta Leavitt is one of us; persons who throw a net, gathering in pieces of some realm of endeavor, envisioning the pattern of relationships within the flotsam they’ve caught and teasingly calculating an understanding of some small piece of a greater puzzle.”

Tickets are on sale now, $13 for adults, $5 for youth and no charge for Michigan Tech students with the Experience Tech fee. Tickets are available by phone at 7-2073, online at Rozsa.mtu.edu, in person at the Central Ticket Office in the Student Development Complex or the night of the event, one hour before show time, at the McArdle Theatre Box Office.

by Bethany Jones

Breaksk8 coming to Parade of Nations, Rozsa

Published September 8, 2016

By Heather Powers

The Parade of Nations along with the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts present the high-energy breakdancers-on- wheels that are “Breaksk8” on Saturday, September 17.

In addition to skating in the Parade of Nations, Breakst8 will perform at 7:30 p.m. on the Rozsa Center stage.

BreakSk8 has amazed audiences around the globe with their unique style of entertainment on wheels. Never before has roller skating and break dancing been combined in such an acrobatic, athletic, artistic and precise display of talent. Tickets are on sale now, $10 for adults, $5 for youth and free for Michigan Tech Students with the Experience Tech Fee. You can get tickets by calling 7-2073 or online.

In addition, the Parade of Nations and the Keweenaw Roller Girls roller derby team present an “open skate” from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14 at the Houghton County Arena. This “bring your own skates/blades” event is free and open to all ages and levels of experience.

For more information on Breaksk8, visit their website.

Theatre Auditions Tonight

Published September 1, 2016

By Heather Powers

Tonight is the final night of auditions for the Tech Theatre Company’s first two shows of the season. Auditions are at 7 p.m. in the McArdle Theatre in the Walker Building.

“Silent Sky” by Lauren Gunderson— Roles for one man and four women.

“The Resistable Rise of Aurture Ui.”— Roles for three or more women and 19 or more men.

No preparation or monologues are required to audition. For specific information on each play check out the original Tech Today story.

Theatre Auditions Next Week

Published August 25, 2016

By Heather Powers

Michigan Tech Theatre Company will hold auditions next week for two show to be performed in the Fall Semester.

Auditions for both plays will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31 and Thursday Sept. 1, in the McArdle Theatre, second floor of the Walker Building. Call backs will be held as needed.

“Silent Sky“ by Lauren Gunderson:

Both Science and fiction, “Silent Sky” blends the discovery of how to measure the universe with the essence of the discover’s life story. Set against the turmoil of the cry for social justice at the beginning of the 20^th century, the chronicle of Henrietta Leavitt counterpoints the power of a passion for work with the desire for love and family. Five parts – four women and one man.

Six Performances, October 13-15 and 20-22. Rehearsals will take place Sunday through Friday evenings. All actors will not be required at all rehearsals. No preparation is required for auditions which will include games and reading from the script.

“The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui” by Bertolt Brecht.

This dark comedy, set in ’30s Chicago, tells the story of a strongman’s rise to the head of the Cauliflower Turst that has many parallels around the world today.

Written as a parable about Hitler’s rise to power, the story applies to any situation in which a charismatic leader exploits the economic fears of the little guy to seize more and more power.

There’s jazz, gun-molls, shady backroom deals and lots of dark laughs.

There are parts for three or more women (up to six possible) and 19 or more men (up to 30 possible … one singing part—baritone preferred). There are also two gender-irrelevant roles.

No monologues required for audition, just come ready to read and dressed for movement. No previous experience required. There will be three performances Nov. 10-12.

Rozsa Calendars for 2016-17 Season Now Available

Published August 5, 2016

By Heather Powers

The Rozsa Calendars are here. Once again this year there are both full-size wall calendars and the handy pocket/desk calendars that fit neatly in purses, pockets and of course by your phone on your desk.

Pick up one of each or even both at the Rozsa Center or any of the more than 120 local businesses who display and distribute them each year.

Featured this year are eight Rozsa Presenting Series events, more than 27 Visual and Performing Arts events including music, theater and visual arts events and the ever-popular 41 North Film festival.

Season Ticket Packages went on sale Monday with the best discounts available on all the season has to offer. From BreakSk8, to two nights of Russian National Ballet, to Cirque Mechanics: Pedal Punk to “West Side Story,” so many great shows at the Rozsa and all available to you at 20 to 40 percent off single ticket prices if you buy early.

Season tickets are available for a limited time only, so find out more today. Not interested in a Season Ticket Package? Single ticket sales begin Sept. 1.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Michigan Tech Ticketing Services at the Central Ticket Office 7- 2073, or go online.

To make it easier for Michigan Tech faculty and staff to get your copies of the calendars, you can request a calendar be delivered directly to your campus mailbox. Click on this link and fill out the google form. We will gladly send a calendar to you via campus mail.

Rozsa 2016-2017 Season Ticket Packages on sale August 1

Published July 8, 2016

By Heather Powers

What happens when you combine breakdancing with roller skates, circus with bicycle mechanics, culture-clash with dancing and singing and three ballets in two nights? You get the Rozsa Visual and Performing Arts 2016/17 season.

The Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts is the home of visual and performing arts at Michigan Tech. The Rozsa Visual and Performing Arts 2016/17 season is nearly here with season ticket packages going on sale August 1, offering the best discounts available.

From BreakSk8, to two nights of Russian National Ballet, to Cirque Mechanics’ Pedal Punk, to “West Side Story,” there are so many great shows at the Rozsa available at 20 to 40 percent off single ticket prices if you buy early.

Season tickets are available for a limited time only. For more details visit http://www.rozsa.mtu.edu or contact Bethany Jones for more information.

Sneak Peak 2016-2017 Rozsa VPA Season

Published May 11, 2016

By Heather Powers

We have come to the close of another arts season at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts. Thank you to everyone who joined us and made it a success.

So much was new this year from the World Without Ice climate change meditation/film/sound installation exhibit in McArdle Theatre to the cutting-edge new Project Learning Lab experimental art space in the Rozsa gallery b. From the beautiful collaboration of the Minnesota Ballet’s Nutcracker with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, with new discount Family Ticket Packages that brought so many more families out to enjoy a night at the theater, to the wildly interactive adventure “Intergalactic Nemesis: Target Earth” live-action graphic novel. It was a vibrant, thoughtful and above all, enjoyable season.

We are now in the process of gearing up for the 2016-2017 Rozsa Visual and Performing Arts season and here is a taste of what we have in store.

More details and so many more events are coming soon. Hope to see you here next season.

Category: Theatre