网红头条

KENNESAW, Ga. | Nov 5, 2018

Prizewinning drama runs Nov. 6-11

网红头条鈥檚 (TPS) will present a new take on Thornton Wilder鈥檚 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama when the play opens at the Stillwell Theater on the Kennesaw Campus, Nov. 6-11.

The play, set in Grover鈥檚 Corners, tells the story of everyday rituals鈥攁nd big life events鈥攖hat bind us together as humans in our community. The fictional New England town is based on Peterborough, N.H., where Wilder spent many summers.

Co-directed by TPS professor Margaret Baldwin and guest artist/musical director Christopher Hampton, the production takes

a fresh look at the play鈥檚 depiction of small-town American life at the turn of the 20th century. The play made its Broadway debut in 1938, and Wilder described it then as his attempt to present 鈥渢he life of a village against the life of the stars.鈥� He was inspired from the towns among the New England hills where he spent his summers as a tutor and鈥攍ater a writer鈥攁t the MacDowell Colony, taking long walks through the villages.

鈥淚n choosing to include 鈥極ur Town鈥� in our TPS performance season, we asked ourselves: 鈥榃hat does an American village look like today?鈥欌�� said Baldwin. 鈥淔rom the start, we knew that we wanted to bring together an acting ensemble that reflected contemporary American life in its complexity and diversity with regard to race, ethnicity, gender and sexual expression.鈥�

Another goal, Baldwin said, was to challenge the actors to see their 鈥渢own鈥� from multiple perspectives鈥攁nd for audience members to have the chance to see different actors play each role. To do so, TPS created one ensemble of actors that plays two different configurations of roles. That ensemble鈥攃hanging and evolving each night鈥攕erves as the central 鈥渃haracter鈥� of the play.

TPS Interim Chair, Rebecca Makus, who also is the production鈥檚 scenic designer, noted how the play resonates with the theme of this year鈥檚 production season examining the American experience from multiple angles. She asked, 鈥淲ho are we past and present? What questions have we asked (and continue to ask) about our national identity?

Patrons may see both casts perform at a discounted rate. Please call the box office at 470-578-6650 for this special offer or click to purchase tickets. (Discount for second show is not available when purchasing tickets online.)

鈥� Kathie Beckett

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 网红头条 offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. 网红头条is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. 网红头条is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.