MCC Theatre season preview
By: Kian Hagerman
With a new school year at MCC also comes a new season of play productions put on by the theatre &
film arts department.
According to Kevin Dressler, executive director of theatre activities for the department, the directors are professionals working within the industry, giving students a chance to learn from those in the field.
The first produc-
tion that will be put on is “Rumpelstiltskin” written by Linda Daugherty and based on the fairy tale of the same name written by the Brothers Grimm.
The story follows a miller’s daughter, who by the machinations of her father is forced by the king to spin gold from straw or face certain death.
“It’s set in the realm of the storybook,” said Costume Shop Coordinator Mallory Prucha.
The play will travel around to many local schools, with up to 3,600
Mesa Public School stu- dents in attendance ac- cording to Dressler, who is directing the production.
“There are certain challenges presenting material to children,” Dressler
said. “If you can hold the attention of a child, an adult audience will be no problem.”
Dressler said that it will be fabulous, and that he hopes that the perform- ers rise to the level of the technical aspects of the production.
“Rumpelstiltskin” will also be shown at the MCC Theatre on Oct. 10, 11, 16 and 17 at 7 p.m., with mati- nee performances on Oct.
11 and 18 at 2 p.m.
The second production of the season will be of “Mother Hicks” by Suzan Zeder, the auditions for which will be held Oct. 7 and 8.
It is set during the
Great Depression, and tells the story of an unnamed girl who through her inter- actions with Mother Hicks learns about herself.
The department will be focusing on the first two productions, as they are largely the efforts of stu- dents, which can then com- pete in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF).
“Because these two shows are student designed there is a special emphasis on them,” Dressler said. “We can get our bang for our buck as far as the
KCACTF.”
There will be perfor- mances of “Mother Hicks” on Dec. 5, 6, 11 and 12 at
7:30 p.m. and matinee per- formances on Dec. 6 and
13 at 2 p.m. at the MCC Theatre.
In the spring, David Vining will be directing Christopher Durang’s com- edy “Beyond Therapy.”
Two people both in therapy meet when Pru- dence answers the personal ad of Bruce in this farce.
Auditions for the play are scheduled for Dec. 9 and 10, and performances on March 6, 7, 12 and 13,
2015 at 7:30 p.m. Matinee performances will be on March 7 and 14, 2015 at
2 p.m.
The final production of the season will be Tennes- see William’s well-known “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.”
The central theme of the play, which will be di- rected by James Rio is the mendacity that pervades the cast of characters.
Dates for auditions are set for Feb. 23 and
24, 2015; the play will be performed on May 1, 2, 7 and 8, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. Matinee performances will be offered on May 2 and 9,
2015 at 2 p.m
