New Mainstage theatre season spans from “Henry V” to a Dungeons & Dragons drama
The Department of Theatre Arts at SUNY New Paltz has announced its lineup for the 2019-20 Mainstage series, featuring a diverse range of productions from classic Shakespeare to a dramatic comedy about fantasy role-playing games.
The Mainstage season for 2019-20 includes:
- “In the Time of the Butterflies,” a dreamlike retelling of a true story of rebellion in 1950s Dominican Republic, opening Oct. 3;
- A contemporary performance of “Henry V,” Shakespeare’s epic saga of leadership and courage, opening Nov. 14;
- “She Kills Monsters,” a tale of a young women who embraces her inner geek and warrior in the wake of a tragic family loss, opening Feb. 27, 2020;
- “Spring Awakening,” the groundbreaking coming-of-age story told through rock music, opening April 23, 2020.
“We’re committed to telling stories that resonate within our community, and our plays and musicals are selected to both reflect our times and entertain,” said Ken Goldstein, chair of the Department of Theatre Arts.
The production season is selected by a faculty committee each year, with the educational value and training opportunities for students taking top priority. Each lineup is curated to ensure that the material challenges and engages audiences, performers and producers alike.
“We hope each year to serve the departmental community, the campus community and reach new pockets of the local and regional community as well,” said Goldstein. “This season I am most excited about the range of stories we’ll be telling, as well as the varying styles and scales we’ll be using to tell them.”
Tickets for each of these shows are $18 for general public; $16 for faculty/staff, alumni and seniors; and $10 for students. Tickets can be purchased online, in person at the Parker Theatre Box Office, or by phone at 845-257-3880.
For more information on show times, or to purchase a season subscription—which includes tickets to all four 2019-20 Mainstage shows at a discounted rate, unlimited ticket exchanges and advance access to the best seats in the house—visit the Department of Theatre Arts online.
If you have accessibility questions or require accommodations to fully participate in these performances, please contact Russ Thompson at thompsor@newpaltz.edu at least two weeks prior to the event[s] you plan to attend.
“In the Time of the Butterflies” was adapted by Caridad Svich from a bestselling 1994 novel by Julia Álvarez. It tells a fictionalized version of the true story of the Mirabal sisters, who inspired a political uprising against the dictatorial rule of Gen. Rafael Trujillo in 1950s Dominican Republic.
This performance of “In the time of the Butterflies” is directed by Estefania Fadul and runs from Thursday, Oct. 3 through Sunday, Oct. 6 and Thursday, Oct. 17 through Sunday, Oct. 20. Tickets go on sale on Sept. 23.
John Patrick Hayden directs a modern take on William Shakespeare’s classic history, “Henry V,” a story centered on the titular king’s maturation into a ruler and military successes leading an outnumbered army. This performance begs the question: What are the duties and responsibilities of a leader to their country?
The Mainstage production of “Henry V” runs Thursday, Nov. 14 to Sunday, Nov. 17 and Wednesday, Nov. 20 to Sunday, Nov. 24. Also included is a special 10 a.m. matinee performance for high school students on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
In “She Kills Monsters,” protagonist Agnes embarks on a journey of discovery into the wondrous worlds of Dungeons & Dragons. After discovering that her recently deceased sister had been playing the classic role-playing game, Agnes enlists a dungeon master to help her complete her sister’s final quest.
Written by Qui Nguyen and directed by Michael Barakiva, “She Kills Monsters” runs Thursday, Feb. 27 through Sunday, March 1 and Thursday, March 5 to Sunday, March 8.
With a book and lyrics by Steven Sater, music by Grammy-nominated Duncan Sheik and direction by Catherine Doherty, the groundbreaking, award-winning “Spring Awakening” is a coming of age story told through contemporary rock music.
Be ready to examine the transition from childhood to adulthood through lenses of morality, sexuality, and adolescence in this thrilling, angsty production, which runs Thursday, April 23 through Sunday, April 26 and Thursday, April 30 through Sunday, May 3.