The UTC Department of Theatre and Speech is kicking off the 2009-2010 season with the classic French comedy The Miser by Moliere. This season marks the 30th anniversary of the UTC Fine Arts Center and the Dorothy Hackett Ward Theatre, corner of Vine and Palmetto Streets. To celebrate this event, the Department of Theatre and Speech is welcoming back alumnus Jeff Atkins, who will be performing the role of the Miser.
The Miser will be performed on September 25, 26*, 30 and October 1, 2, 3. All performances will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Seventeenth century playwright Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, better known as Moliere, earns his reputation as one of the great masters of comedy in The Miser, which exposes the folly and hilarity of that basic human vice, greed. The love of money is both the root of all evil and the source of comic delight in this classic French play. The avarice of Harpagon, the miser of the play’s title, drives him to paranoid extremes as he tries to protect his money from those around him. Harpagon’s zany antics drive a wedge between him and his children, between his children and their true loves and between himself and his own sanity.
The Miser is directed by Steve Ray with set design by Gaye Jeffers, costume design by Sydney Roberts, lighting design by John R. Burgess and choreography by Emily White and Thomas Hawtin.
“Making a 17th century comedy funny to today’s audience, while still being true to the spirit of the work, is a challenge. But that’s our goal-to make our audience laugh, while giving them a glimpse into the world of 17th century courtship,” Ray said. “Even though this play was written over three centuries ago, it contains ideas that are still relevant and still funny. We all know what desperate actions people will take when they’re in love. We all know people who pinch pennies until Lincoln screams. We still know these people and these situations. They are universal and timeless. That’s the beauty of Moliere.”
Cast members include: guest artist Jeff Atkins as Harpagon, Megan Cobb, Rachel Connolly, Jennifer Ervin, Matthew Gonzalez, Michael Haggerty, Thomas Hawtin, Kaleb Moran, Rebecca Owens, Will Park, Daniel Pound, Kimberly Skoda, Alex Whittle and Jessie Wright.
*This performance will be signed for the hearing impaired.
