Contemporary romance, decadence, soaring musicals and a dose of Shakespearean comedy are in store in the Syracuse University Drama Department's 2005-06 season.
Andrew Lippa's "The Wild Party" kicks off the five-play season. Directed by Rodney Hudson, "The Wild Party" opens Oct. 7 and runs through Oct. 23. Set in the Roaring 20s, the play tells the decadent tale of one licentious soiree in Manhattan. Based on Joseph Moncure March's 1928 jazz-age poem of the same name, "The Wild Party" is a moralizing tale of excess and debauchery that transcends its era. Lippa's award-winning jazz-infused score features music that ranges from raucous and danceable to tender ballads and draws from both the bygone era in which the play is set and the present.
Following "The Wild Party" is "The Italian American Reconciliation," which opens Nov. 18 and runs through Dec. 4. Gerardine Clark directs. The play is by Academy Award-winner John Patrick Shanley, who serves up a comic romance Little Italy-style. The play debuted at the Manhattan Theatre in 1986 and has had several regional productions. Shanley is perhaps best known for the Oscar-winning film "Moonstruck," starring Cher and Nicholas Cage. Shanley was a 2005 recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for his new play, "Doubt."
Next is the musical "The Sound of Music," which opens Nov. 29 and runs through Jan. 8, 2006. For the holiday season, director and choreographer Anthony Salatino helms Rodgers and Hammerstein's iconic musical, a collaborative production between Syracuse Stage and the Drama Department (not on subscription). The last of Rodgers and Hammerstein's nine musicals together, "The Sound of Music" soars with unforgettable tunes such as "Climb Every Mountain," "The Sound of Music," "Edelweiss" and "Do-Re-Me." With "West Side Story" (2002-03) and "Peter Pan" (2000-01) under his belt, Salatino will serve as director and choreographer on a Syracuse Stage/SU Drama collaboration for the third time.
The fourth production of the season is Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," directed by Lisa Anne Porter. "The course of true love never did run smooth," but who knew it could be quite so chaotic? One of the Bard's most beloved comedies, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is Shakespeare's most delirious and comic look at love. The play opens Feb. 24, 2006 and runs through March 5, 2006.
Capping off the season is the musical "A Little Night Music," directed and choreographed by Salatino, opening April 28, 2006 and running through May 13, 2006. With Ingmar Bergman's film "The Smiles of Summer" as its inspiration, desire and sensuality dominate. Stephen Sondheim's score is glorious, striking and deeply emotional. The musical is set in turn-of-the-century Scandinavia and is a tale of romance and folly. The score has an integrated sound, with each song contributing to the established mood of the show. The musical debuted at the Shubert Theatre in New York City in 1973, and went on to sweep the Tony Awards, including awards for Best Musical, Best Music and Lyrics and Best Book.
Subscription ticket prices for the SU Drama Department's 2005-06 season are $70 for adults and $60 for students and senior citizens. SU students enrolled in the Pulse program may purchase tickets through the Schine Student Center Box Office at 443-4517. One Wednesday performance of each play offers a "Pay What You Can Night" for SU students with I.D. For subscriptions, call 443-3275. For more information, visit http://vpa.syr.edu/drama.
