Theatre Wesleyan is excited to announce its new season as it embarks on its 60th year of performances in the Metroplex.
“With the help of recommendations of different plays and musicals from staff and students we are able to narrow it down to the plays that will be apart of our season,” said Theatre Department chair Bryan Stevenson. “We hope audience members can come in and really enjoy all aspects of the shows.”
Theatre Wesleyan begins the 2016-2017 season with When The Rain Stops Falling, which Time Magazine named “The Best New Play of the Year” in 2010.
The play was written by Andrew Bovell and focuses on Gabriel York, played by junior theatre major Dean Phillips ll; the family saga that takes audience members on a ride from 1959 to 2039, and to countries from London to Australia. Stevenson will be directing.
Falling opens Sept. 22 and is performed through Oct. 2 at the Thad Smotherman Theatre, where all performances of the season will be held.
The season will continue with Stop Kiss, a play Variety calls a “poignant and funny play about the ways, that lives can change irrevocably.”
Written by Diana Son, Stop Kiss will be directed by senior theatre major Colton Mallory and run Nov. 10 through Nov. 20.
“Each year senior theatre students get the opportunity to choose and pick a play,” said Jacob E. Sanchez, department business manager and alumni. “Colton is super excited to get the chance to direct Stop Kiss.”
Stop Kiss focuses on two females, Callie and Sara, who meet an unexpectedly fall in love. Their attraction to each other leads to violent consequences from the surrounding environment the women are involved in.
In February, Theatre Wesleyan continues the season with Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike written by Christopher Durang.
“I’m super interested in seeing what the shows ended up looking like, but I’m particularly interested in Vanya, Masha, Sonia, and Spike,” Sanchez said. “For my senior project at Texas Wesleyan, that was one of my top three titles that I was super interested in directing. It’s a title I was particularly interested in, and it’s really nice that we have finally have the opportunity to perform it, and I get to see it.”
Spike is a comedic play that focuses on two bickering sisters who only focus on their missed dream and lost opportunities. When their movie star sister, Martha, comes home to show off her new boy toy, Spike, the family is launched into an interesting weekend consisting of one upmanship and exposed nerves.
Associate Professor Jeanne Everton will be directing Spike, which runs Feb. 9 through Feb 19.
The season will end with the three-time Tony Award-winning satire, Urinetown: The Musical.
The town suffers from a terrible water shortage and 20-year drought that has led to the ban of private toilets. After being constricted by the government, a brave young hero chooses to fight for the freedom to pee.
Urinetown will be directed by Professor of Theatre Connie Whitt-Lambert and will run April 20 through April 23.
With the help of the Student Government Association, students will be able to see this season’s shows for free. SGA voted last month to set aside $2,500 for free theatre tickets for Wesleyan students.
“The Student Government Association is extremely excited to collaborate with Theatre Wesleyan and enhance the students’ experience at Texas Wesleyan,” said SGA President Zahraa Saheb. “We hope students will greatly enjoy this year.”
According to txwes.edu, in order to receive a free ticket, students must order the tickets on the online box office website, pick a date and show time and enter the code STEF at checkout. Students may pick up their free tickets at the box office after presenting their student I.D.
Season tickets are available at the Theatre Wesleyan website or by calling 817-531-4211. General ticket admission is $10 per person. Faculty, staff and senior citizens are $5 per person.
