Theatre Arts presents some 25 productions a year. More than half of these are student initiated projects led by playwrights, directors and sometimes by actors. Gallery productions receive budget support and rehearse five or six weeks. Workshop productions are normally works in progress that rehearse for about four weeks and allow playwrights to see their work in front of an audience. All productions are selected and mentored by members of the faculty. The plays are often raw and exciting, new and ready to be take audiences on a surprising trip.

2009-10 Gallery and Workshop Productions

Tickets

Tickets for Galleries and Workshops are available one hour before showtime. Gallery show tickets are $5 for non-students and free for UI students (with valid ID). Workshop productions are free of charge, however you must obtain a ticket at the door and seating is limited. Performances are at 8 pm except Sunday performances, which are at 2 pm.

Gallery Series

All performances are in Theatre B, UI Theatre Building.

October 1, 2, 3, 4
Undergraduate Directors Festival

October 15, 16, 17, 18
Lost Sharks
By Kevin Artigue

October 23, 23
Leaner Than Light: 12 Frames of Paul Engle
by Lisa Schlesinger
directed by Lisa DiFranza
Free admission

The University of Iowa will celebrate poet Paul Engle, who led the Iowa Writers' Workshop to prominence and co-founded the International Writing Program (IWP), with the premiere production of a play about his life and work on Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24 at 8:00 PM in the Theatre Building. The October 24 performance will take place in conjunction with this year's Global Express, an annual presentation of works by writers-in-residence of the IWP.

Written by UI Writers Workshop and Theatre Arts alum Lisa Schlesinger, and directed by guest artist Lisa DiFranza, Leaner Than Light: 12 Frames of Paul Engle combines Engle's own words, drawn on his poetry and memoirs, with scenes from his life and the recollections of colleagues. The production incorporates video footage by video artist Katie Roche. The roles of Paul and Hualing Engle will be performed by Benjamin Schmidt (who also designed the set) and Saffron Henke.

October 29, 30, 31, November 1
America!
by Justin Dewey

November 5, 6, 7, 8
One Man's Trash
by Jess Foster

December 3, 4, 5, 6
Yellow City
by Jen Silverman

December 10, 11, 12, 13
How Catherine D__ Got Her Expression
by Lisa Leaverton

February 11, 12, 13, 14
Ten-Minute Play Festival

February 18, 19, 20, 21
Stegosaurus (or) Our Golden Years
by Andrew Saito

February 25, 26, 27, 28
A Dry Cycle of Years
by Joe Luis Cedillo

April 1, 2, 3, 4
The Boy in Black
by Tony Meneses

May 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Iowa New Play Festival
Performance schedule will be announced in early April, 2010.
Readings and performances of new work from the Iowa Playwrights Workshop. Tickets are $5 for non-students and free for UI students (with valid ID).

Workshop Series

All performances in the Cosmo Catalano Acting Studio (Room 172) unless otherwise noted.

September 25, 26
Superior Story
by Corey Homewood

October 23, 24, 25
Britt McKinley and the Grand Empty
by Sheela Kangal

January 29, 30
Nostalgium
by Matthew Benyo

March 27, 28
Burning Bright
by Emily Larson
Theatre B

April 9, 10
Voice of Tomorrow
by Maggie Scrantom
Theatre B