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07.30.09

Contacts: Emory College Center for Creativity & Arts, Sally Corbett, sacorbe@emory.edu, 404-727-6678; Jessica Moore, jkmoore@emory.edu, 404-727-1687; Theater Emory, Hunter Hanger, 404-712-9118, hhanger@emory.edu

“BREAKING OUT AND BREAKING FORTH”— THEATER EMORY’S 2009–10 SEASON BREAKS THE MOLD WITH NEW PARTNERS AND PLAYS

Theater Emory’s new Artistic Director, John Ammerman, describes the upcoming 2009-2010 Theater Emory season as “striking a balance between both old and new, original and revival!...breaking out and breaking forth, blending artistic views that serve a wide base of interests and tastes.” The season offers three distinct interpretations of a single August Strindberg drama, a new science play produced in partnership with Out of Hand Theater and Yerkes National Primate Research Center, a surreal puppet play featuring artists from The Center for Puppetry Arts and a fully-staged Broadway musical.

“We want to expand our seasons into a number of untested realms while remaining anchored in our traditions as a theater,” notes Ammerman. “After all, as a university we are as much in the entertainment business as we are in the research and study business. We want to move forward with familiar forms of theater that we have not tackled before while holding on to traditions at Theater Emory, namely creating new works.” Ammerman adds that Theater Emory strives to, “challenge ourselves as artists, both professional and student alike.”

The dynamic season opens with “Miss Julie X 3,” three innovative approaches to the dramatic masterpiece by Swedish critic, satirist, and playwright August Strindberg (1849-1912). The “Miss Julie X 3” productions run Oct. 1-10, 2009. Emory theater faculty members Janice Akers, Michael Evenden and Donald McManus will direct student casts and designers in three productions with concurrent run dates that will shed light on this classic tale of class, sex and power. The public can join Theater Emory on Oct. 10 for a theatrical marathon and see all three productions in one day.

In November, Theater Emory and the groundbreaking Atlanta-based company Out Of Hand Theater will co-produce a new play entitled “Hominid” (Nov. 12-22, 2009). Based on a fascinating true story, this work was commissioned and developed through the Playwriting Center of Theater Emory, with additional support from the Emory College Center for Creativity & Arts, the Emory College of Arts and Sciences’ Program in Science & Society and the Yerkes National Primate Research Center . Directed by Emory alumna Ariel de Man and co-written by Ken Weitzman, this brutal tale of murder and greed unfolds like a modern day “Macbeth.”

In February 2010, Theater Emory presents a highly-acclaimed puppet play rendition of Mary Shelley’s classic gothic novel “Frankenstein” (Feb. 18-27, 2010), adapted and directed by Jon Ludwig, Associate Artistic Director of the Center for Puppetry Arts. Originally commissioned and produced for the 1996 Olympic Arts Festival, the play was lauded as the highlight of the festival by both Newsweek and The Boston Globe. Performed by a cast of student and professional puppeteers and musicians, “Frankenstein” is set in a surreal, musical world of voodoo where horror and humor dance together to the beat of a percussion-based ensemble.

Urged by students and audiences alike to present something “out-of-character” for Theater Emory, Ammerman decided to close the 2009-2010 season with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s great American musical “Oklahoma!” (April 1-11, 2010). Ammerman will direct a cast of students and professionals in a traditionally-staged production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first, and perhaps most innovative, musical that tells the colorful love story of Curly and Laurey against the backdrop of the prairies of the American West. Scott Stewart, Director of Wind Studies, Emory College Department of Music, is the music director. George Staib, a faculty member from the Emory Dance Program, is the choreographer.

“Breaking out and breaking forth” means, “taking a chance with something that is immediately familiar to our audiences,” says Ammerman, “while giving them a willingness to wonder just how we might handle such a story at Theater Emory.” Patrons may purchase a Theater Emory season package and receive all four shows for the price of three; additional discounts may apply to package offers. For tickets and information, contact the Arts at Emory Box Office at 404-727-5050, www.arts.emory.edu, or boxoffice@emory.edu. To join the E-mail Club to receive season brochures, special offers and announcements, please e-mail boxoffice@emory.edu.

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CALENDAR LISTINGS

“Miss Julie X 3”  (Oct. 1, 2009 – Oct. 10, 2009) Crazy, maybe? But Theater Emory is taking on three different simultaneous productions of August Strindberg’s “Miss Julie” directed by theater faculty Janice Akers, Michael Evenden, and Donald McManus. Each version sheds new light on the Swedish playwright’s 1888 classic that deals with power, lust, class, flirtation, aristocracy, and the battle of the sexes.  Tickets  (for each program): $18; non-Emory students, patrons under 18 and over 65, WABE members, Emory employees, and other discount category members $14; Emory students $6; 404-727-5050,  boxoffice@emory.edu, www.arts.emory.edu. On sale Sept. 11 (early on-sale for Emory employees, students, and “Friends” members Sept. 9). Purchase all 3 “Miss Julie” programs for the price of 2! Purchase a Theater Emory season package and receive all 4 shows for the price of 3! Call Arts at Emory Box Office for details. Additional discounts may apply to package offers.
Program A,   Oct. 1, 3, 6-7 & 9 at 7 p.m. (Oct. 6-7 are Pay What You-Can at The Door Performances); Oct. 10 at 4:30 p.m.; Burlington Road Building, 1804 North Decatur Rd., Atlanta, GA 30322
Program B,  Oct. 1, 3, 7 & 9, at 7 p.m.; matinees Oct. 4 & 10 at 2 p.m. (Oct. 4 & 7 are Pay-What-You-Can at The Door Performance); Schwartz Center, Theater Lab, 1700 N. Decatur Rd., Atlanta, GA 30322
Program C,  Oct. 2-3 & 7, 8, & 10 at 7 p.m.; Oct. 4 at 5 p.m.; and Oct. 9 at 10 p.m. (Oct. 4 & 7 are Pay-What-You-Can at The Door Performances); Mary Gray Munroe Theater, Dobbs University Center, 605 Asbury Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322

“Hominid,” Thurs., Nov. 12 – Sat., Nov. 14 and Wed., Nov. 18 – Sat., Nov. 21 at 7 p.m.; Sun., Nov. 15 and Sun., Nov. 22 at 2 p.m.; Pay-What-You-Can at The Door Performance: Wed., Nov. 18. Mary Gray Munroe Theater, Dobbs University Center, 605 Asbury Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322, 404-727-5050, boxoffice@emory.edu, www.arts.emory.edu, $18; Discount Category Members $14; Emory Students $6. Tickets on sale Sept. 11; special pre-sale for Emory faculty, staff, students, and Friend's groups Sept. 9. Purchase a Theater Emory season package and receive all 4 shows for the price of 3! Call Arts at Emory Box Office for details. Additional discounts may apply to package offers.
On a small island in Holland, a modern day Macbeth erupts — a beloved leader is overthrown, a utopian community rocked by bloodshed and greed. The world looks on in shock. But who’s watching whom? “Hominid” is based on the true story captured by primatologist Frans de Waal, Ph.D., in “Chimpanzee Politics.” Directed by Emory alumna Ariel de Man of Out of Hand Theater and co-written by Ken Weitzman. Commissioned by and developed with the support of the Playwriting Center of Theater Emory, sponsored in part by a grant from the Emory College Center for Creativity & Arts, through commission funding of the university-wide Creativity & the Arts Strategic Initiative. This production is co-sponsored by Emory's Program in Science & Society and Yerkes National Primate Research Center.

“Frankenstein,” Thu, Feb. 18, 2010 – Sat., Feb. 20, 2010, and Wed., Feb. 24, 2010 – Sat., Feb. 27, 2010 at 7 p.m.; Sun., Feb. 21, 2010 at 7 p.m.; Pay-What-You-Can at The Door Performance: Wed., Feb. 24, 7 p.m.. Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, Theater Lab, 1700 N. Decatur Rd., Atlanta, GA 30322, 404-727-5050, boxoffice@emory.edu, www.arts.emory.edu, $18; Discount Category Members $14; Emory Students $6. Tickets on sale Sept. 11; special pre-sale for Emory faculty, staff, students, and Friend's groups Sept. 9. Purchase a Theater Emory season package and receive all 4 shows for the price of 3! Call Arts at Emory Box Office for details. Additional discounts may apply to package offers.
A Puppet Play based on Mary Shelley's “ Frankenstein.” Commissioned and produced for the 1996 Olympic Arts Festival, the play received national and international acclaim and was heralded as one of the highlights of the Festival by art critics including Newsweek magazine and the Boston Globe.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's “OKLAHOMA!,” Music by Richard Rodgers, Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Based on the play “Green Grow the Lilacs” by Lynn Riggs, Original dances by Agnes de Mille, Thurs., April 1, 2010 – Sat., April 3, 2010 and Wed., April 7, 2010 - Sat., April 10, 2010 at 8 p.m.; Sun., April 4, 2010 at 5 p.m.; Sat., April 10 – Sun., April 11, 2010 at 2 p.m.; Pay-What-You-Can at The Door Performance: Wed., April 7, 8 p.m. Mary Gray Munroe Theater, Dobbs University Center, 605 Asbury Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322, 404-727-5050, boxoffice@emory.edu, www.arts.emory.edu, $20; Discount Category Members $16; Emory Students $6. Tickets on sale Sept. 11; special pre-sale for Emory faculty, staff, students, and Friend's groups Sept. 9. Purchase a Theater Emory season package and receive all 4 shows for the price of 3! Call Arts at Emory Box Office for details. Additional discounts may apply to package offers. The beloved classic American musical comes to Theater Emory’s stage.

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THEATER EMORY
Theater Emory is the producing organization of Emory University and is affiliated with the Department of Theater Studies. It is a member of the Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts and operates under a season agreement with Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

CREATIVITY & ARTS AT EMORY MISSION
Emory University provides a dynamic, multi-disciplinary environment for the study, creation and presentation of the arts.

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