By Tom Stoppard

Feuding theatre critics Moon and Birdboot, the first a fusty philanderer and the second a pompous and vindictive second stringer, are swept into the whodunit they are viewing. In the hilarious spoof of Agatha Christie-like melodramas that follows, the body under the sofa proves to be the missing first-string critic. As mists rise about isolated Muldoon Manor, Moon and Birdboot become dangerously implicated in the lethal activities of an escaped madman.

Starring PCC student actors: Aidan Nolan, Todd Thomas, Mel Oegema, Ginger Clark, Craig Umhoefer, Zed Jones, Marcos Tunes, Shannon Cluphf, Colby Newbold, and stage managed by PCC students Dani Bash and Sean Fitzgerald.

PCC student crew: Lighting design-Ben Keller, Properties by Deborah Bacigalupi, Master Carpenter-Kyle Menzies, Master Electrician- Heather Sutherland, Graphic design- Jeramiah Wainright, Crew Chief-Paden Bryck and Publicity video and playbill design – Winona Hwang.

PCC staff: Scenic design by Dan Hays, Costume design by Ashley Smith, Scenery construction by Winston Bischof, Hair and Make-up by Diane Trapp, Technical Direction by Frances Marsh, Crew Mentorship and Sound Design by Sue Bean-Portinga, Directed by Patrick Tangredi

Performances

• Friday, May 2, PCC PAC, 7:30pm
• Saturday, May 3, PCC PAC, 7:30pm
• Thursday, May 8, PCC Sylvania ArtBeat, 11am-12:30pm (Free Matinee)
• Friday, May 9, PCC PAC, 11am (pay-what-you-wish Matinee)
• Saturday, May 10, PCC PAC, 7:30pm (Sign language interp performance)
• Sunday, May 11, PCC PAC, 2pm

Based on Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters, and adapted by Tom Andolora

In this beautifully haunting play based on Edgar Lee Masters’ Spoon River Anthology, the former residents of Spoon River examine life and the longing for what might have been. As the citizens reflect on the dreams, secrets, and regrets of their lives, they paint a gritty and honest portrait of the town as all of their pasts are illuminated.

“We may live in a very different world than that of Spoon River, but Masters’ truths about the human condition are eternal. The Spoon River Project delivers them with love, care, and rich, enveloping atmosphere. I’m so glad I went.” – Erik Haagensen, Backstage (Critics’ Pick)

Performances

• Fridays, March 7 & 14, 7pm
• Saturdays, March 8 & 15, 7pm
• Thursday, March 13 – Special pay-what-you-will matinee, 11am
• Sunday, March 16, 2pm matinee

By David Auburn

PCC Theatre AUDITIONS for the Fall 2013 production of the Pulitzer Prize winning drama by David Auburn.

• Thursday May 30 1 pm- 3 pm
• Friday May 31 10am- 12 pm
  Both days in the PAC

Students may audition on either day, please read the play beforehand, one copy available in the PAC Greenroom. Auditions will consist of readings from the script.

Characters

• Catherine: 20’s, possibly a genius, possibly mentally ill. We discover her at a turning point in her life after caring for her father until his recent death. She stands poised to share a gift of profound mathematical genius with the world but is reluctant to step into her fathers shoes, for she’s seen all of the difficulty that it brought him, and she’s a stranger to the mathematics world, possibly unacceptable, and she’s retreated from the social world to care for her father, so she’s comfortable being a recluse.
• Robert: 50’s, Catherine’s father, professor, genius. Smart, playful, loving, and occasionally insufferable. Wants his youth back so sometimes acts a bit too young for his age.
• Claire: late 20’s-early 30’s, Catherine’s older sister, home for the funeral and to convince Catherine to move in with her. The older sister who didn’t have the close relationship that Cathy and Robert shared, has moved away and isn’t really connected to Cathy, math, Robert or Chicago anymore. Struggles to treat Cathy as normal, doesn’t understand her sister’s mental illness.
• Hal: late 20’s-early 30’s, grad student, interested in Robert’s legacy & Catherine. Struggles with his own lack of math genius, at the end of his reckless youth, a bit of a hipster, a bit of an emotionally naïve guy. In the final scene of the play Hal shows his maturity after being put in his place by Cathy. His grounded-ness is always almost present, but he’s often walking into an awkward situation, so he’s more often off balance than he is immature or geeky.

Note: Students cast in the TA Fall production “Proof” will be enrolled in TA 180 (A minimum of 1 credit) during the Fall 2013 term. Rehearsals will begin the first week of the Fall term Tues Sept 24, and run weekly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1-3pm and Fridays from 9:30 am-1pm through opening night Friday, Nov 8. (This includes Saturday Nov 2 all day Technical Rehearsal and Evening rehearsals Mon-Thurs Nov 4-7)

Performances

• Fridays and Saturdays, November 8, 9,15 & 16
• Thursday, November 14 – Pay-what-you-will matinee 11am
• Sunday, November 18, 2pm matinee

Students are also expected to work 10 hours in the costume or scene shop to support the building of the play.