Muhlenberg’s highly ranked performance program
offers diverse lineup including six theatre
productions, three dance concerts
Allentown, Pa. (Aug. 25, 2017) —Muhlenberg College’s Theatre & Dance Department announces the 2017-2018 Mainstage season. Running from September through April, the season features six theatrical productions and three dance concerts, including several world premieres.
The season begins Sept. 27 with “New Voices / New Visions” Part 1. Three talented senior directing students will take the helm for an evening of visionary, experimental theater. The evening includes two world premieres: “How I Wonder,” by Ashley Malafronte ’17 and Kate O’Donoghue ’17, directed by Drew Maidment ’18; and “In Finite Potential,” by Esther Kruman ’18, directed by Peri Ganbarg ’18. Also on the program: “187” by José Rivera and “Shadow Day” by Steven Dietz, both directed by Genevieve Wall ’18. The production runs Sept. 27 – Oct. 2 in the Studio Theatre.
“Sunday in the Park with George,” Stephen Sondheim’s longing, luminous musical, celebrates creative genius and the magical, excruciating process of making art. Two artists, centuries apart, strive to realize their artistic vision and create something new — without losing hold of the people they love. James Peck will direct this Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Oct. 27 – Nov. 5 on the Empie Theatre stage.
“Moving Stories” will feature original dance works by student choreographers, Nov. 9-11 in the Baker Theatre. The dance concert presents dance as narrative storytelling and addresses themes as diverse as the choreographers’ own backgrounds.
“New Voices / New Visions” Part 2 is the second of two evenings in which talented senior directing students create ambitious and intriguing theatre. The evening features “Conform,” by Joseph McNaney ’17, directed by Irene Martinko ’18; and “The Bald Soprano,” by iconic French playwright Eugéne Ionesco, directed by Brydon Geisler ’18. The production runs Nov. 29 – Dec. 3 in the Studio Theatre.
“Master Choreographers” offers a spectacular evening of ballet, contemporary, tap, and jazz dance, showcasing exciting new works by nationally and internationally acclaimed guest artists and faculty. This season’s edition features a piece by critically acclaimed choreographer Tiffany Mills, who serves as the 2017-2018 Baker Artist-in-Residence, supported by the Dexter F. & Dorothy H. Baker Foundation. This highly anticipated dance concert runs Feb. 8-10 in the Empie Theatre.
Alfred Jarry’s outlandish political satire “Ubu Roi” ranks among the essential works of avant-garde theater. Directed by Francine Roussel, this absurd but trenchant farce about a capricious tyrant runs Feb. 21-25 in the Studio Theatre.
“Glory,” written and directed by Holly Cate, is a passionate swashbuckling tale of political intrigue and violence, adapted from Shakespeare’s Henry VI tetralogy. Presented here in its world premiere, “Glory” relates the story of conflict between two competing houses that eventually erupted into the War of the Roses, one of the bloodiest periods of English history. Featuring a faculty spotlight performance by Troy Dwyer, the production runs April 5-8 in the Baker Theatre.
Student choreographers showcase their ideas and talents in “Dance Emerge,” April 18 – 21 in the Studio Theatre.
The season concludes with “for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf.” Ntozake Shange’s critically acclaimed choreopoem combines music, poetry, and improvisational dance into a story of strength, resiliency, and celebration. Sharrell D. Luckett directs the production, featuring guest musician Rahbi Hines. The show runs April 26-28 in the Baker Theatre.
Muhlenberg College’s Theatre & Dance Department offers one of the top-rated college performance programs in the county, according to the Princeton Review rankings.
Tickets and information are available at 484-664-3333 or muhlenberg.edu/theatre&dance.
Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg is a highly selective, private, four-year residential college located in Allentown, Pa., approximately 90 miles west of New York City. With an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 2200 students, Muhlenberg College is dedicated to shaping creative, compassionate, collaborative leaders through rigorous academic programs in the arts, sciences, business, education and public health. A member of the Centennial Conference, Muhlenberg competes in 22 varsity sports. Muhlenberg is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Muhlenberg offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in theater and dance. The Princeton Review ranked Muhlenberg’s theater program in the top twelve in the nation for eight years in a row, and Fiske Guide to Colleges lists both the theater and dance programs among the top small college programs in the United States. Muhlenberg is one of only eight colleges to be listed in Fiske for both theater and dance. The department was founded in 1983; the theater major was established in 1978, and the dance major was established in 1993.
Information Provided By:
Scott Snyder
Marketing Manager
Muhlenberg College Department of Theatre & Dance
