Currently

The Barn Summer Playhouse

2009 Season

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Fool For Love

By Sam Shepard
Directed by Dorisa Boggs
June 19-20, 25-27

What The Butler Saw

By Joe Orton

Directed by Jeffrey Martin
July 10-11, 16-18

Machinal

By Sophie Treadwell

Based on the real murder trial of Ruth Snyder in the late 1920s, Machinal is an expressionistic case study of the demands and difficulties presented to the modern woman of the times.

Directed by Robin Stone
November 13-15, 19-21

(Main Season #2)

"a young woman, ready, eager for life, for love...but deadened, squeezed, crushed by the machinelike quality of the life surrounding."—Sophie Treadwell

Auditions: August 31, September 1

The Merchant of Venice

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Peter Wright
October 9-11, 15-17

(Main Season #1)

Auditions: August 28

Bassanio has squandered his fortune and must borrow from his friend Antonio in order to pursue Portia, the wealthy lady he loves. The romance of this story is set against the darker one of Shylock, a moneylender, and his demand for the "pound of flesh" owed him. Pathos, comedy and romance combine with moral complexity to raise intractable and painful issues and display the extraordinary power and range of Shakespeare at his best.

Miss Julie

Strindberg treats sexuality and human struggle with a frank realism previously unknown in the theatre in this classic about an aristocratic young woman and her father’s valet.

By August Strindberg

Directed by Kristin Durinick

March 26-27

(Senior Directing Project)

Auditions: T.B.A.

One-Act Festival

Catastrophe, by Samuel Beckett

Attuned, by Alice Gerstenberg

The Coors Lights, by Nick Zagone

Business Lunch at the Russian Tea Room,

by Christopher Durang

October 23-24

(Stage Company)

Auditions: last week of September

Bad Axe

By P.J. Barry

Directed by Peter Wright

February 5-6

(Senior Acting Project)

In August of 1832, immediately following the Black Hawk Indian war, a woman's life is in jeopardy. During a battle at Bad Axe, Captain Conrad's wife inexplicably shot and scalped him. Was she forced by Indian captors to perform this heinous act-or was it murder? Lt. Romens is dispatched from Washington to the Illinois territory to conduct an inquest. While his inquiries proceed, revelations from Mrs. Conrad, another officer's wife and a wry humored sergeant cast their own lights on the incident. Final judgment is in the hands of Black Hawk.

The Male Animal

By James Thurber

and Elliott Nugent

Directed by Jeffrey Martin

April 23-25, 29-30, May 1

Tommy Turner has been married for ten years to Ellen, and he is quietly settled in a teaching job at Mid Western University. This is the week end of the Michigan game and Joe Ferguson, the greatest football hero Mid Western has ever had, comes to town and sees Ellen, his old sweetheart.

In addition, Tommy is drawn into a controversy when a young intellectual writes an article in which he calls the board of trustees fascists.

Tommy wants to read a letter to his composition class written by Vanzetti and is about to join the ranks of the martyrs who have been fired because the trustees are shouting "Red!" Ellen tries to dissuade Tommy from reading the letter and he tells her to go with Joe and leave him to his books and his principles.

What happens next speaks to courage and what an example of the male animal really is.

(Main Season #4)

Auditions: T.B.A.

The Spitfire Grill

Music and book by James Valcq; Lyrics and book by Fred Alley

Directed by Stephanie Dean
February 26-28, March 4-6

(Main Season #3)

A feisty parolee follows her dreams, based on a page from an old travel book, to a small town in Wisconsin and finds a place for herself working at Hannah's Spitfire Grill.

It is for sale but there are no takers for the only eatery in the depressed town, so newcomer Percy suggests to Hannah that she raffle it off. Entry fees are one hundred dollars and the best essay on why you want the grill wins. Soon, mail is arriving by the wheelbarrow full and things are definitely cookin' at the Spitfire Grill.

Auditions: T.B.A.

The Roger Williams

University Theatre

Season 2009-2010

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Variety Show

April 8-9

(Stage Company)

Auditions: T.B.A.

This is a Test

By Stephen Gregg

Directed by Stephanie Dean
September 18-19

(Freshman Show)

Auditions: August 27

New students begin their theatrical careers at Roger Williams University with a rollicking comedy: "As the ticking clock reminds you, you have only 60 minutes to complete this oh-so-important predictor of your future. But you didn't get the review sheets, the teacher doesn't seem to like you, and your classmates are blatantly cheating. Time is passing and the voices in your head keep reminding you that though you may be having trouble with the test, your personal life is far, far worse. Then you reach the essay question. The good news is that it's an opinion essay. The bad news is that it's in Chinese. And things aren't going to get better..."