The University of Central Arkansas Theatre has announced its line-up of productions for the 2013-2014 season. The season opens with Venus in Fur by David Ives. In this dark comedy, Thomas finds that no one who auditioned was right for the lead role in his new play. At the last minute an actress bursts in with all the unacceptable qualities he’s seen all day. But her audition is very convincing and blurs the line between fantasy and reality. The play will run September 9-13, 2013 at 7:30 pm in the Studio Theatre of the Snow Fine Arts Center on the UCA campus, 201 Donaghey in Conway. Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance. Due to the configuration of the scenery, no one will be admitted after the play begins. The play is recommended for mature audiences.
The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht will take place November 7, 8, 13, 14, and 15 at 7:30 pm in the Bridges/Larson Theatre of the Snow Fine Arts Center. This drama deals with an infant child born to ruling class parents, but who is abandoned during a military uprising. He is adopted by a peasant girl who raises him as her own. The ancient test of the Chalk Circle is invoked when the birth mother returns to claim her child.
The Festival of One Act Plays will be performed December 3, 4, and 5 at 7:30 pm in the Bridges/Larson Theatre of the Snow Fine Arts Center. A popular event on the UCA campus, this series includes 3-4 different plays each evening, produced and directed by the 2013 Directing Class and involving over 50 cast and crew members. Admission is free. Tickets are not required. Doors open at 7:00 pm each evening.
UCA Theatre’s own traveling troupe of players, The Cadron Company, will present Furry Tails with a Twist by Jennifer Hickok DeFratis. This family-friendly, short production features two traveling actors who are in town to perform classic fairytales. However, the script gets dropped and pages go flying everywhere. What follows is a wacky, lighthearted mixture of beloved children’s stories with twists and turns at every corner. The play will be presented on January 31, 2014 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, Feburary 1 at 10:00 am in the Reynolds Performance Hall. The play is appropriate for all ages, but is especially fun for children ages 3-12. Admission is free. Tickets are not required and seats are not reserved. Doors open 30 minutes prior to curtain.
Almost, Maine by John Coriani will run February 13, 14, 19, 20, and 21, 2014 at 7:30 pm in the Bridges/Larson Theatre of the Snow Fine Arts Center. The aurora borealis is the backdrop for this midwinter night’s dream in Almost, Maine. Residents seek to warm their hands and their hearts as they reach out for human connections amid the lonely vastness of the Pine Tree state.
A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen will be presented April 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18 at 7:30 pm in the Bridges/Larson Theatre of the Snow Fine Arts Center. Blackmailed for a forgery she had almost forgotten, Nora’s perfect marriage begins to spin out of control when she finds her controlling husband is a bully and a coward. His desire to protect his public image forces her to close the door on him, her children, and her life in order to find herself.
Unless otherwise noted, tickets to all UCA Theatre performances are $10 each and are now on sale. Reservations are highly encouraged and can be made through UCA Ticket Central. Ticket Central is located in the Reynolds Performance Hall, 201 Donaghey in Conway. Box Office hours are 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday. Reservations can be made by calling 501-450-3265. The general public may also purchase tickets online at www.uca.edu/tickets.
UCA Theatre has been an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) since 1995. It is recognized for its challenging and diverse theatre arts education program. It has consistently received honors and awards for its productions through the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF). UCA Theatre has received numerous Directors’ Choice Award or Critic’s Choice Award from the state KCACTF festival and was invited to perform at the KCACTF Region VI festival in 2010, the fourth such invitation in the past several years. Faculty, professional staff, and theatre students have also been honored for excellence in acting, directing, designing, and stage managing. The program has had three students win the Region VI Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship and perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and has had one national winner of the competition.
Further information regarding UCA Theatre can be obtained online at www.uca.edu/theatre or by calling 501-450-5092.
