The 2011-12 theatre season, 鈥淎 Season of Classics,鈥� is being called a success, as more than 7,700 people attended the four productions.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very grateful that the campus and the St. Joseph community have been so supportive,鈥� said Tee Quillin, assistant professor of theatre and cinema. 鈥淲e knew that a four-show season was ambitious, but we were also confident that audiences would embrace and appreciate the spectacular talents of our students.鈥�
鈥淩omeo and Juliet鈥� played to sold-out audiences over four performances in October, with a total attendance of 1,340. 鈥淎 Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas鈥� drew nearly 3,500 people to 11 performances in December. More than 1,000 people attended the four performances of 鈥淎rsenic and Old Lace鈥� in February, with more than 1,800 attending the eight performances of the musical 鈥淟ittle Shop of Horrors鈥� in April.
Dates have already been set for the 2012-13 season, 鈥淎 Year of the Tony,鈥� and five productions are scheduled.
鈥淲e鈥檙e stretching ourselves again next season, with two musicals and what we鈥檙e calling a 鈥榬epertory coupling鈥� of two plays on alternate nights over two weekends,鈥� said Dallas Henry, assistant professor of theatre and cinema. 鈥淲e hope the community will again come out and enjoy what鈥檚 sure to be a memorable season.鈥�
听听听听 2012-13 shows include:
- Oct. 4-7: 鈥淛.B.鈥� by Archibald MacLeish. This modern retelling of the Biblical story of Job won the 1959 Tony Award for Best Play.
- Nov. 29-Dec. 8:听 鈥淎nnie,鈥� book by Thomas Meeha, music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charmin, based on the Tribune Media Service comic strip 鈥淟ittle Orphan Annie.鈥� The story of the spunky Depression-era orphan who wins the heart of billionaire Oliver Warbucks won the 1977 Tony Award for Best Musical.
- Feb. 21-24 and Feb. 28-March 3: 鈥淧rivate Lives,鈥� by Noel Coward and 鈥淕od of Carnage,鈥� by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton. 鈥淧rivate Lives,鈥� one of the most sophisticated, entertaining plays ever written, won the 2002 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. 鈥淕od of Carnage,鈥� a comedy about grown-ups who meet to discuss the behavior of their children and become increasingly childish themselves, won the 2009 Tony for Best Play.
- April 11-14: 鈥淪weeney Todd,鈥� book by Hugh Wheeler, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, based on a version of 鈥淪weeney Todd鈥� by Christopher Bond. This rare instance of a musical thriller, with its tale of murderous barber-ism and culinary crime, won the 1979 Tony Award for Best Musical.
Tickets are available at mwsutix.com, or call the box office at 816-271-4452.
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听听听听