‘Chicago,’ Ballet Performance to Highlight UA Theatre and Dance Season

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Stagings of the musicals “Chicago” and “City of Angels,” as well as classics including “The Seagull” and “An Italian Straw Hat,” highlight the 2011-2012 University of Alabama department of theatre and dance season.

The season will open with a stop in the underworld in Ariel Dorfman’s “Purgatorio” and include a visit to an estate where the Marx Brothers run rampant in “Animal Crackers.” The dance division also will produce four concerts.

Theatrical performances will be Monday through Sunday in either the Gallaway or the Allen Bales theatres on the UA campus. Dance concerts will run Tuesdays through Fridays in the fall but will resume Saturday matinee performances for the spring. For details on the season, go to http://theatre.ua.edu/productions/2010-2011-season/.

“Purgatorio”: Sept. 26-Oct. 2, Allen Bales Theatre — Based on the myth of Jason and Medea, “Purgatorio” tells the story of the afterlife, where men and women must account for their lives. Facing their truths, a man and a woman must reach a state of forgiveness before they can move on. Playwright Ariel Dorfman (“Death and the Maiden”) puts before us questions of justice and forgiveness.

Dance Alabama! Fall Concert: Oct. 4-7, Morgan Auditorium — “Dance Alabama!” returns for its 12th year, continuing the tradition of presenting diverse and inspirational dance to the region.

“Animal Crackers”: Oct. 10-16, Gallaway Theatre — This hallmark of Marx Brothers lunacy comes raging onto the Marian Gallaway stage. With a book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, and music and lyrics by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, this 1928 Broadway comedy takes you to Mrs. Rittenhouse’s weekend home, the spot for a ritzy and glamorous party honoring Capt. Spaulding, the “African Explorer.” But nothing is calm when a valuable painting goes missing and mayhem occurs..

Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre Fall Concert: Nov. 1-4, Morgan Auditorium — UA’s pre-professional dance company in residence returns featuring the historic “Les Sylphides,” originally choreographed by Michel Fokine in 1909 to the music of Chopin.This ballet was a pioneer of the more abstract ballets of the 20th century, as well as a tribute to the Romantic ballets of the 19^th century.

“City of Angels” : Nov. 7-13, Allen Bales Theatre — Set in Hollywood in the 1940s, Stine, a young novelist, is attempting to write a screenplay for movie producer and director Buddie Fidler.The audience watches the screenplay unfold as hapless Stine writes. “City of Angels,” a Tony Award winner for Best Musical, features music by famed Broadway composer Cy Coleman (“Sweet Charity,” “On the Twentieth Century”).

“The Seagull”: Nov. 14-20, Gallaway Theatre — Anton Chekhov’s classic “comedy” features  life, love, theatre and the disappointments they hold for a passionate yet imperfect cast of characters.

Dance Alabama! Spring Concert: Feb. 14-18, Morgan Auditorium — Contemporary or modern, ballet or musical theatre, Dance Alabama! kicks off the new year with more breathtaking choreography and performances.

“Wonder of the World”: Feb. 20-26, Allen Bales Theatre — Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire brings to the stage a twisted dark comedy about a woman’s life and discoveries. Cass is experiencing the seven-year marital itch and, after a shocking revelation, decides to leave her marriage to do all the things she’s itching to do. Her journey takes her through a series of absurd and funny encounters that, ultimately, ends with her barreling around in the honeymoon capital of the world, Niagara Falls.

“An Italian Straw Hat”: Feb. 27-March 4, Gallaway Theatre — Fadinard is on his way to his wedding when a hungry horse eats a young lady’s straw hat. To save the woman’s reputation with her husband, Fadinard must find a replacement, only to discover that his own fiancée and the entire wedding party are following him in the search. The musical farce by Eugène Labiche and Marc-Michel, originally written in French, soon develops into a delirious chase, filled with mishaps, classical comic misunderstandings and a witty ending.

Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre Spring Concert: March 27-31, Morgan Auditorium — The dance faculty brings another assortment of ground-breaking dance pieces to the Morgan stage.

“FeFu and Her Friends”: April 9-15, Allen Bales Theatre* — Fefu and the town’s wealthy women, bored in the manner of those who have too much free time, are planning a charity event. But as the audience is moved from one location to another, Fefu and her friends move from one emotion to another:  from happiness to aggravation to a complete mental breakdown. From playwright Maria Irene Fornes, “Fefu and Her Friends” not only presents feminism in its rawest form, but questions what a strong woman should do with one’s self. *This production involves travel among five different environments.

“Chicago”: April 16-22, Gallaway Theatre — The Tony and Academy Award winner comes to the UA stage. Spend time with Roxie Hart, Velma Kelly, Amos, Billy and “Mama” as you experience the greed, treachery and razzle-dazzle of the 1920s.

Tickets range in price from $10 to $18. Subscription packages and groups rates are available. Additional ticket information is available by contacting the department of ttheatre and dance box office at 205/348-3400 or by visiting theatre.ua.edu.

The department of theatre and dance is part of UA’s College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.