Collegian file photo
by Jamil Oakford/se news editor
Campuses are producing a lot of drama this fall with a series of plays and events.
Pert Durapau, SE speech and drama department chair, has been hard at work setting up this semester’s productions and a festival.
“It’s going to be a busy semester,” she said. “We’re doing two plays, plus a few other events.”
The first event, an adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days, doesn’t open until Oct. 8, but casting starts now. Auditions for the play are 6-9 p.m. Aug. 27 and 28 in the C.A. Roberson Theatre.
“Students should be prepared to read from the script and to move,” she said.
But this play is only the beginning. Later in the semester, the SE drama program will host the Texas I Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.
“We will do our own production and host five to six other colleges and universities as they produce their own plays while on campus,” Durapau said.
The festival will offer workshops as well to all participants and see other school’s productions.
“It’s an exciting opportunity!” she said.
To round off a busy semester, SE also will sponsor the Festival of New Plays, part of SE’s Student-Written Ten-Minute Play Contest.
“The deadline to submit is Oct. 20,” Durapau said.
Three or more entries will be selected for production. The chosen plays will be performed in the campus’ black box studio later in November.
Students who want more information can call the speech and drama department at 817-515-3725.
South Campus will have two productions this fall, the first called Below the Belt.
Lindy Benton-Muller, South theater director, said this play is a fun challenge.
“It’s about three guys in an office,” she said. “It shows the absurdity of corporate life.”
Preliminary auditions were held earlier in August, but they will open up again once the school year gets started.
The second production on campus this semester is Master Harold … and the Boys directed by Richie Haratine.
“It’s about Apartheid,” Benton-Muller said, referring to the all-white system of government that ruled South Africa for decades.
The play initially was banned in South Africa after it made its opening night in early 1982 at Yale Repertory Theatre.
“It’s a wonderful educational opportunity,” she said. “It’s always relevant.”
With the passing of Nelson Mandela, Benton-Muller thinks this play is a timely reminder of his years of work to end Apartheid in South Africa.
Benton-Muller believes that both plays are great picks.
“I feel so fortunate to do what I do,” she said. “Every show is exciting.”
Both of these productions will be shown in South Campus’ Joe B. Rushing Center for the Performing Arts. For more information, students can contact Benton-Muller at 817-515-4717.
NW Campus’ theater program will start with a Laura Eason adaptation of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, directed by drama associate professor Josh Blann.
“It’s family-friendly and an ensemble-based show,” Blann said.
This production will also be entered into the American College Theatre Festival and performed on SE Campus.
Auditions will start at 7 p.m. Aug. 28 and 29.
Students are encouraged to attend both days and should contact Blann at joshua.blann@tccd.edu if unable to attend either day.
If interested in helping out offstage, students can show up to auditions and let Blann know that they are interested and available to volunteer time.
The campus is also putting on a comedy, Be Aggressive, later in the semester.
“It’s about a high school cheerleader whose mother dies,” Blann said. “Very wry and funny.”
If interested in this production, students should email drama instructor Brent Alford at brent.alford@tccd.edu.
NE Campus has two productions this semester: Picasso at the Lapin Agile, a comedy by Steve Martin, followed by Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl.
“It’s a retelling of a Greek myth,” Eurydice director Julie Gale said. “It doesn’t deal with the love story as much as the loss of a loved one.”
Gale has always been interested in Greek mythology.
“Anytime I get to do a play dealing with Greek mythology, I’m excited,” she said.
