The Shape of Things by Neil LaBute

“You stepped over the line, Miss.”

How far would you go for love? For art? What concessions would you make? What price would you be willing to pay? Such are the painful questions explored by Neil LaBute in, The Shape of Things. A modern day retelling of the fall of man. After a chance meeting in a museum, Evelyn, a sexy, aggressive artist, and Adam, a shy, insecure student, become embroiled in an intense affair. Before long, it veers into the kind of dangerous, seductive territory that LaBute does best, as Adam, under Evelyn’s steady influence, goes to unimaginable lengths to improve his appearance and character. Only in the final and shocking exhibition, which challenges our most deeply entrenched ideas about art and love, does Evelyn reveal her true intentions. This volume contains the original stage script for the play, which was also the basis for the film.

Performances are September 16–September 26, 2009
(Dark on Sunday and Monday)
Leggett Theater, 7:30 p.m.

The Horror! The Horror!

PCT Benefit—One Night Only!
Halloween horror stories read by Kenny Gannon and Flynt Burton

(Not part of Season Membership, please note prices below)
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Leggett Theater, 7:30 p.m.

Peace students: Advance Online at Etix $3.00, At the Door $5.00

All other students: Advance Online at Etix $4.00, At the door $7.00

Peace faculty, staff and their families: Advance Online at Etix $5.00, At the Door $8.00

General Public: Advance Online at Etix $10.00, At the Door $15.00

Reception: Online Only $5.00 for students; $25.00 for all others

Scapin by Bill Irwin And Mark O’Donnell, Adapted From Jean Baptiste Moliére

“Scapin! Disaster! The direst predicament!”

This adaptation of Moliére’s 325-year-old farce Les Fourberies de Scapin follows—with some alterations—the play’s original structure. It keeps the play in period setting while adding a late twentieth century spin to the language and action, and borrowing some final lines from Molière’s La Contesse D’escarbagnas. "This SCAPIN, directed by Irwin…from his felicitous adaptation with Mark O'Donnell, would probably have gone over big with the same audience who first saw Molière's Fourberies de Scapin…in Paris in 1671." —NY Times. "Commedia dell'arte and vaudeville have at least two things in common: baggy pants and Bill Irwin. All make for a natural fit in the celebrated clown's entirely unconventional adaptation of Molière's SCAPIN." —Variety.

The crafty Scapin, servant to the household of Geronte, jumps into the story as he first promises to help in the affairs of his neighbor's son, Octave, then to aid in those of his own charge, Leander (Geronte's son). Both young men have fallen in love with unlikely, and penniless beauties, and both need money to help solve their dilemmas. Scapin knows a good ruse will always win the day and he drafts Sylvestre, Octave's servant, into his schemes. Convincing Sylvestre he's a wonderful actor (and allowing him to build characterizations using movie clichés), Scapin has him play characters who will deceive the family patriarchs into parting with large sums of money. The final scene of the first act is a vaudeville/music hall version of Molière's famous scene in which Scapin spins a tale of kidnapping, foreigners and ransom. Once the money is obtained, however, Scapin pushes further in order to exact a little revenge on those he's served. Thinking Geronte has said something nasty about him, Scapin sets out to teach him a lesson. The roguish words, however, are Scapin's own lies and stories finally coming back to him, his revenge backfires and he must flee. In the end however, Scapin's schemes aid in revealing the penniless beauties to be the exact right mates for the young charges—being of high birth after all since they are discovered to be the missing children of both patriarchs—and Scapin returns to his post, with the pleasant punishment of having to marry the maidservant of one of the daughters. There is a final chase and dance among all the participants, which, inevitably, becomes the raucous delightful curtain call.

Performances are November 11–21, 2009
(Dark on Sunday and Monday)

The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare

“Dear, look up,
Though Fortune, visible an enemy,
Should chase us with my father, power no jot
Hath she to change our loves.”

One of the last plays Shakespeare penned on his own, “The Winter’s Tale” is a transcendent work of death and rebirth, exploring irrational sexual jealousy, the redemptive world of nature, and the magical power of art.

Performances are February 17-26, 2010

The City Line & Sexton Emeritus by Kenny Gannon

PCT Benefit—One Night Only!

Kenny Gannon reads two of his short stories about “the least of these.”
Not part of season membership

Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Leggett Theater, 7:30 pm.

Peace students: Advance Online at Etix $3.00, At the Door $5.00
All other students: Advance Online at Etix $4.00, At the door $7.00
Peace faculty, staff and their families: Advance Online at Etix $5.00, At the Door $8.00
General Public: Advance Online at Etix $10.00, At the Door $15.00
Reception: Online Only $5.00 for students; $25.00 for all others

Revenge of the Idiots

The Village Idiots Return for More Improv Fun

Performances April 20-24, 2010
7:30 p.m.