UM SCHOOL OF MUSIC, THEATRE & DANCE ANNOUNCES ITS 2008-09 MAINSTAGE SEASON

Ann Arbor — The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance announces its 2008-2009 mainstage season. Featuring ten productions from the Departments of Theatre, Musical Theatre, Opera and Dance, the season runs October 9, 2008 through April 19, 2009.

The season begins with Madmen and Specialists by Nobel Prize-winning African playwright Wole Soyinka. Written in 1971, Madmen and Specialists stems from Soyinka’s 22-month detention during the Biagra civil war in Nigeria. The work combines Yoruba rituals of song and chant with sharp parody, creating deft plays-on-words that distorts their meaning while accentuating the potency of language. A strong criticism of abuse of any type of power, Madmen chillingly explores the sequels of the spiritual, psychic, physical and symbolic devastation of humanity during war times. Presented by the Department of Theatre and Drama, the play runs October 9 – 19, 2008 at the Arthur Miller Theatre and is directed by Mbala Nkanga, Associate Professor of Theatre.

As part of its 25th Anniversary season, the Department of Musical Theatre is thrilled to be one of the first regional companies to be licensed to create it own production of the Broadway phenomenon Rent. Set in a bohemian community of artists in New York City’s East Village during the 1990s, Rent features an inventive score that combines a rock sound with intricate choral work and dexterous lyrics. The musical swept the 1996 musical awards for both Off-Broadway and Broadway productions and earned its author, Jonathan Larson, the coveted Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Rent plays October 16 – 26, 2008 at the Mendelssohn Theatre with direction by Mark Madama and musical direction by Cynthia Kortman Westphal, both Assistant Professors of Musical Theatre. Contains adult language and situations, recommended for ages 14 and up.

Professionally premiered at the Bolshoi Opera in 1881, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s operatic version of Aleksandr Pushkin’s beloved Russian novel Eugene Onegin would become his most famous opera. From the vibrant folksongs of the countryside and the elegant polonaise of a St. Petersburg ball to Tatyana’s famous letter scene and the equally renowned Lenski’s aria, Tchaikovsky’s lush score is full of soaring melodies. Sung in Russian with projected English translations, the opera is directed by Assistant Professor of Opera Joshua Major with the University Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Professor Martin Katz. Eugene Onegin, presented by the University Opera Theatre, runs November 13 - 16, 2008 at the Power Center.

The Department of Musical Theatre is honored to assist and collaborate with two Michigan writers in the musical theatre developmental process through a workshop production of their new work, Ella Minnow Pea. Based on the critically acclaimed, best-selling novel by Mark Dunn, Ella Minnow Pea is the second full-length musical by the team of Scott Burkell (book and lyrics) and Paul Loesel (music). Both political allegory and a linguistic tour-de-force, Ella Minnow Pea reminds us how the loss of freedom of expression can affect an entire society. Ella Minnow Pea plays at the Arthur Miller Theatre from November 20-23, 2008. Scott Burkell directs with music direction by Assistant Professor of Music Catherine Walker Adams.

Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride and Prejudice has enraptured over 20 million readers and has never been out of print since its debut in 1813. Adapted for stage and film numerous times, this stage adaptation by James Maxwell for the Gate Theatre in Dublin remains faithful to Austen’s novel with rich characterization and witty repartee. Presented by the Department of Theatre & Drama and directed by Professor of Theatre John Neville-Andrews, Pride and Prejudice runs December 4 - 7, 2008 in the Power Center.

Headlining Arcs in Time, presented by the University Dance Company, is the first revival in twenty-one years of Impact by contemporary American choreographer Laura Dean. Dean recently the 2008 American Dance Festival Award for Lifetime Achievement. Faculty member Amy Chavasse, who danced in the 1985 premiere, will restage the work. The UM Percussion Ensemble plays Steve Reich’s “Sextet,” which was written expressly for this high-energy dance. Rounding out the program are four new works by faculty choreographers Melissa Beck Matjias, Bill De Young, Peter Sparling, and Robin Wilson. Arcs in Time runs January 29 – February 1, 2009 at the Power Center.

Scandalously passed over for the 1924 Pulitzer Prize for drama, The Show-Off was the biggest critical and popular success for American playwright and director George Kelly, who was a member of the famed Philadelphia Kellys and the uncle of Princess Grace. Kelly’s other Broadway triumphs include The Torch-Bearers and Craig’s Wife. His works combine wry humor with amusing dialogue underscored with serious themes and social commentary. A brilliant satire on the American notion of progress, The Show-Off is directed by Professor of Theatre Philip Kerr and plays at the Mendelssohn Theatre, February 12 - 15, 2009, presented by the Department of Theatre & Drama.

The spring opera is traditionally announced in mid-October. Small chamber operas are generally produced at this time, from innovative works (Daugherty’s Jackie O) to old favorites like Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte (Mozart). Presented by the University Opera Theatre under the direction of new opera faculty member Robert Swedberg, former general director of the Orlando Opera, the spring opera plays at the Mendelssohn Theatre, March 19 – 22, 2009.

Department of Theatre & Drama senior Seth Moore won the top prize for the 2008 Hopwood Award for Undergraduate Drama and also garnered the McIntyre Prize and Saferstein Literary Award with his gritty drama Jonesin’. Bleak and disturbing, Moore utilizes raw, expletive-charged language in Jonesin’ to capture a street-wise world where addiction rules. Directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre Malcolm Tulip, Jonesin’ plays at the Arthur Miller Theatre, April 2 - 12, 2009. This play contains extensive profanity, sexual content, smoking and nudity. Recommended for 18 and over.

The season concludes with 42nd Street, presented by the Department of Musical Theatre. Originally a 1933 film with choreography by the famed Busby Berkeley, 42nd Street made its way to Broadway in 1980 and became one of the longest running shows in Broadway history, as well as winning two Tony Awards. A heartwarming tale about the search for stardom, the musical captures the hopes of everyone pursuing a dream. Directed and choreographed by Associate Professor of Musical Theatre Linda Goodrich, 42nd Street plays at the Power Center April 16 - 19, 2009. Catherine Walker Adams conducts.

Join us for Curtain Call Fridays - post-performance discussions immediately following the Friday performances of all productions. Moderated by members of the producing department’s faculty and featuring a rotating array of cast and artistic team members, Curtain Call Fridays offer an opportunity for audience members to talk with artists about each production. The discussions are free and open to all.

Tickets are on sale now for the 2008-2009 Power Series, a subscription package for all shows presented in the Power Center – Eugene Onegin, Pride and Prejudice, Arcs in Time, and 42nd Street. Tickets for the four show series are $80 (center orchestra/balcony) and $60 (side orchestra/balcony). For more information on the Power Series, call the League Ticket Office at (734) 764-2538.

Single tickets for all ten performances go on sale online August 15, 2008, with in-person and phone sales beginning September 2. Ticket prices are $24 and $18 with students only $9 with ID. Performances run Thursdays at 7:30PM, Friday and Saturdays at 8PM and Sundays at 2PM. Tickets are available at the League Ticket Office, located within the Michigan League on UM’s Central Campus. The Ticket Office is open from 9 am – 5 pm, Monday through Friday, and from 10 am to 1 pm, Saturday. Reservations may be made by phone at (734) 764-2538 or online. All major credit cards are accepted.