Ithaca College Theatre Announces 2002 - 2003 Performance Season

Ithaca College Theatre is planning a diverse 2002 - 2003 season, six productions that will highlight themes of social change, farce, and youthful passion. The price of a season subscription (five of the six productions) ranges from $25.00 to $40.00, giving subscribers a discount of up to 20 percent off single-ticket prices.

Season subscribers are also given the first opportunity to purchase single tickets for the December production of November Girls, which is not included in the season package. Other benefits to subscribers include first choice of the best seats (including the new Clark Theatre seating), the ability to exchange tickets to attend another performance, and presale convenience. To be added to the season mailing list --- or to receive additional information on ticket prices and group discounts --- call 274-3915.

Here is the season schedule:

A quiet town is shaken by the brutal murder of a gay college student in The Laramie Project, by Moisés Kaufman. Kaufman’s New York City - based Tectonic Theatre Group traveled to Wyoming to investigate the reactions and feelings of the people of Laramie after the 1998 killing of Matthew Shepard. The town comes to terms with its own fears as it goes through the death, trial, and media firestorm surrounding the tragedy. The essence of the play is captured by the words of Matthew’s father, Dennis Shepard: "Matt’s beating, hospitalization, and funeral focused worldwide attention on hate. Good is coming out of evil." The performance dates are October 3 and 8 - 13, with a preview on October 1. The Laramie Project will be directed by assistant professor of theater arts Krista Scott.

The Threepenny Opera (music by Kurt Weill, book by Bertolt Brecht, English adaptation by Marc Blitzstein) is based on The Beggars Opera by John Gay. Set in London in the early 19th century, Brecht’s satirical masterpiece is a shocking look at the human condition in the lowest common denominator. This dark and humorous piece is brought to life by Kurt Weill’s lilting score, featuring "Mack the Knife." The story centers on the class hierarchy of the time, the way it shaped people’s behavior, and the dynamics of their interactions, as the king of the beggars takes on one of society’s most elusive thieves. "Nearly 70 years after its debut, The Threepenny Opera retains its cunning lethal edge, its cynical social commentary, and, best of all, Kurt Weill’s trenchant and melodic score," wrote Variety. The performance dates are November 7 - 10, with a preview on November 5. The Threepenny Opera will be directed by associate professor of theater arts Susannah Berryman.

November Girls, a new play by local writer Kenny Berkowitz, will be performed December 5 - 8, with a preview on December 3. Every girl dreams of her sweet 16th birthday. However, this girl’s special day is far from the fantasy she had imagined. Her father’s dead, her mother’s on the lam, and she is left in Jack Ruby’s nightclub. She finds herself in a world full of twists and turns as a barrage of strippers and gangsters run amok. The girl is changed by the wild events of a fateful day in November 1963, when she is exposed to the dark secrets of her mother’s past and the tragedy of a nation. November Girls will be directed by associate professor of theater arts Norm Johnson. It is being offered separately from the subscription package; tickets can be purchased with the subscription package in advance.

Coproduced with the School of Music, Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus is set in Vienna society of the 1890s. This acclaimed comic opera of secrets and misconceptions follows its madcap characters from a palace ball to prison. Dr. Falke seeks revenge over a practical joke initiated by Gabriel von Eisenstein, which in turn leads to a series of humorous encounters and subplots that unfolds with a joyous champagne toast. The performance dates are February 20, 22, 23, 26, and 28, with a preview on February 18. Die Fledermaus will be directed by professor of theater arts Greg Bostwick.

The second musical of the season will be the recent off-Broadway hit Bat Boy: The Musical, which brings to life one of the most famous tabloid stories ever written. The story follows a young man discovered in a cave and the exploits of his life as he becomes a part of society. The "Daily News" has described the show as "outrageously silly and totally charming." The performance dates are March 27 - 29 and April 1 - 6, with a preview on March 25. This production is pending performance rights and will be directed by the chair and director of theater Lee Byron.

The final season production, The Importance of Being Earnest, will be presented April 24 - 27, with a preview on April 22. Oscar Wilde’s witty and hilarious play has been entertaining audiences for more than 100 years. Centered on the life of the rich and idle, this classic satire involves the misadventures of the invented persona of "Ernest" by two friends attempting to impress their respective female interests. Confusion and fun ensue. The Importance of Being Earnest will be directed by professor of theater arts Arno Selco.

The single-ticket price range for all performances is $4.50 to $10.00. Evening performances will begin at 8:00, with matinees at 2:00 p.m. on designated Saturdays and Sundays. All dates and times are subject to change.