2011-12 Butler Theatre Mainstage Season
(mis) taken Identities
The Exonerated
by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen
8 p.m. Aug. 29, free, no ticket required
Directed by WIlliam Fisher, performed by members of the
Heartland Actors Repertory Theatre
The Exonerated uses actual words of individuals who were found
innocent after years awaiting execution on death row to shed light
and inspire conversation on one of the gravest and darkest possible
topics: the power of our government to punish by death.
An Evening of Kathakali
Featuring Christel DeHaan Visiting International Theatre Artist,
Kunju Vasudevan in a performance of the classical dance/drama
of Kerela, India.
8 PM Sept. 22-24. $10-general public, free to
Butler Students with ID, $5-other (non Butler) students and
seniors.
Kathakali is one of the two classical performing
Arts of Kerala, India. It is a perfect fusion of a highly stylized
form of acting with highly evolved gestural language, beautiful and
graceful dance, singing of the text, percussion that adds meaning
to the movements of the actor and creates the perfect mood, and
also the awe-inspiring make-up and costume which make each
character stand out. Until recently only the stories from
Hindu mythologies were adapted into kathakali, but the second half
of the 20th century saw various stories from other
sources being introduced.
POOTHANAMOKSHAM
In this story written by Aswathi Thirunal, King Kamsa
ruled over Southern Kerala in the 18th century. Hearing
a prophecy that the eighth child born to his sister Devaki and her
husband Vasudeva would slay him, King Kamsa imprisons Devaki
and Vasudeva soon after their marriage ceremony and
mercilessly kills each of their seven infants born in
captivity. Their eighth child was Krishna, the incarnation of
Lord Vishnu. After he was born, the guard fell asleep and
Krishna and his parents escaped to a house in the Ambadi
village. Learning of Krishna's whereabouts, King Kamsa
summons Poothana, a shrewd and cunning demon, disguised as a
beautiful lady, to kill Krishna.
Poothana finds Krishna in his cradle and is overwhelmed by
his exquisite beauty. She cannot bring herself to strangle
him, but eventually resolves to kill the boy by applying poison to
her breast and nursing him. However, when she tries to remove
the boy from her breast, rather then poisoning the young god,
Krishna slowly sucks out her life force and Poothana dies
instead.
The Priest & the Prostitute (Bhagvadajjukam)
Previews: 8 p.m. Nov. 2-3; performances 8 p.m. Nov. 4-5
and 10-12, 2 p.m. Nov. 6, 12 and 13
Directed by Kunju Vasudevan
The production will be developed by the student ensemble
under Kunju's direction is a 7th century Sanskrit
farce that centers around soul exchange and possession. The
production compliments and contrasts to the studio course taught by
this years' resident VITA, in which students will focus on
intensive movement, music, and the rigor of Kathakali.
Tartuffe
by Moliere
Previews: 8
p.m. Feb. 15-16; performances: 8 p.m. Feb. 17-18 and 23-25, 2 p.m.
Feb. 19, 25 and 26
Directed by William Fisher
Moliere's final play, written in 1664, Tartuffe is one of the
best-known and greatest comedies in the western theatre
canon. Our protagonist, Orgon's inability to sort virtue,
piety, true love from deception, hypocrisy and ambition endangers
the survival of his estate and his entire family.
The Love of Don Perlimplin for Belisa in the Garden
by Federico Garcia Lorca
Previews: 8 p.m. April 11-12; performances: 8 p.m. April 13-14
and 19-21; 2 p.m. April 15, 21 and 22
Directed by Elaina Artemiev
Lyric poetry, steamy love, mystery and magic by one of
20th century's most important dramatists and poets,
Frederico Garcia Lorca. One of Lorca's early plays that he
united by the theme: Love and Death, he called The Love of
Don Perlimplin for Belisa in the Garden an erotic lace paper
Valentine, in which the noble Don Perlimplín spares nothing to
arouse true feelings in the heart of the young and supercilious
Belisa. What is on the surface a light, whimsical and musical
story, becomes profoundly poetic and deeply moving. It is a
graphic-novel come to theatrical life, complete with magical
characters and a deception that reveals the nature of eternal
love.
All Performances fulfill the Butler Cultural Requirement
and take place in the Butler Theatre, Lilly Hall, Room
168.
For Reservations: http://www.butler.edu/theatre/productions/reservations/