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PLAY TO KICK OFF NATIONAL KENNEDY CENTER FESTIVAL |
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March 12, 2009
GROVE CITY, Pa. – The magical run of Grove City College’s production of “La Bête” continues. The play has been chosen to kick off the 41st annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival showcase April 13-19 in Washington, D.C.
“La Bête,” originally staged in March 2008, was one of the top two productions in the regional competition of the Kennedy Center festival in January. More than 200 productions were originally nominated from the region; nine were chosen to compete. Only four productions were chosen for the national showcase from the winners of eight regional competitions. It is the first year Grove City College has submitted any of its theatrical productions to be considered for the festival
Grove City’s play will open the festival on April 14. The other productions to be showcased throughout the week are: “The Revenger’s Tragedy” by Thomas Middleton, adapted by Jim Wren and Joe Sturgeon and staged by the University of North Carolina-Greensboro; “Tongues” by Joseph Chaikin and Sam Shepard, and produced by California State University-East Bay, in association with Dandelion Dance Theater; and “House of Several Stories” by A. John Boulanger, staged by Texas State University, in association with The Search Party Theater. The week will also feature a short play festival.
Written in iambic pentameter, David Hirson’s Molière-inspired comedy “La Bête” won numerous awards including the New York Newsday/Oppenheimer Award, Great Britain’s Lawrence Olivier Award for Comedy of the Year, as well as five Tony award nominations and six Drama Desk awards, including Best Play of 1991.
It is the story of Elomire, played by senior Pierce Babirak of Scarborough, Maine, a playwright who is forced to play second fiddle to a lesser writer and actor Valere, played by Doug Baker ’08. But Valere wins over Elomire’s patron Prince Conti, played by Jesse Aukeman ’08, and Elomire must choose between his art and his career. Patrick McElroy ’08 played the part of Bejart; and senior Jennifer Ford of Rochester, N.Y., played Dorine.
Developed by Roger L. Stevens, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts founding chairman, the festival is dedicated to encouraging, recognizing and celebrating the finest and most diverse work produced in college and university theater programs. The eight regional festivals and national festival provide an opportunity for college and university theater departments to present their work, especially new or student-written work, and to receive outside assessment. Since its establishment in 1969, the festival has reached more than 16 million theatergoers and 400,000 college and university theater students nationwide. For more information, visit the Center’s Web site at www.kennedy-center.org/education.
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