The Cal Poly Pomona Department of Theatre and New Dance will offer six diverse shows to wow audiences during its 2018-19 season.
The season kicks off Thursday, Sept. 27 with the first production, a Noel Coward play titled "Private Lives." The university's recent conversion to the semester system had the department tinkering with its calendar. In service to our patrons, the department opted to retain its six-play season by bookending University Main Stage performances with two Studio Theatre shows each semester.
Visit www.bit.ly/cpptndtix to review the season offerings and mark your calendars. Tickets are on sale now.
Fall Semester
"Private Lives" by Noel Coward
8 p.m. Sept. 27, 28, 29, Oct. 4, 5, 6 and 2 p.m. Oct. 7
Studio Theatre (Bldg. 25, Rm. 110)
A European hotel sets the stage for romance, anger and comedy when divorcees Elyot Chase and Amanda Prynne discover they're honeymooning with their new spouses in adjacent rooms. Elyot and Amanda realize their true feelings for each other and hatch a getaway plan from their new spouses, but trouble arises when old habits from their first failed marriage resurface.
"Twelfth Night" by William Shakespeare
8 p.m. Oct. 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 2 p.m. Oct. 28
University Theatre Main Stage (Bldg. 25)
William Shakespeare penned nearly a dozen beloved comedies, but "Twelfth Night" stands out as a masterpiece. Shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria (modern-day Croatia), Viola believes her twin brother and traveling companion has drowned. Assuming the disguise of a boy, she works in the court of Illyria's Count Orsino. He tasks her as a middleman to unresponsive Olivia, who doesn't respond to his advances. Through the ordeal, Viola finds herself falling in love with Orsino herself, upping the stakes in this classic comedy.
"Bee-luther-hatchee" by Thomas Gibbons
8 p.m. Nov. 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17 and 2 p.m. Nov. 18
Studio Theatre (Bldg. 25, Rm. 110)
Shelita Burns is an African-American editor publishing the autobiography of an elderly, reclusive black woman named Libby Price. The book, titled "Bee-luther-hatchee," wins a prestigious award and Shelita feels inclined to deliver it personally to Libby. Shelita finds herself furiously shocked when she discovers the author's true identity, igniting conflict on the edge of the racial divide.
Spring Semester
"Stop Kiss" by Diana Son
8 p.m. Feb. 21, 22, 23, 28, March 1, 2 and 2 p.m. March 3
Studio Theatre (Bldg. 25, Rm. 110)
One late night in New York City's West Village, Sara and Callie share a first kiss. The simple act enrages a bystander, who viciously attacks them. Sara is horribly injured in the assault and falls into a coma. Her ex-boyfriend, Peter, visits from St. Louis to help nurse her back to health, while Callie's good friend George tries to help the situation. "Stop Kiss" is a story of relationships as they are formed, explored and ended.
"The Skin of Our Teeth" by Thorton Wilder
8 p.m. March 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 2 p.m. March 24
University Theatre Main Stage (Bldg. 25)
The Antrobus family lives in Excelsior, New Jersey when humanity's trials come to them in a hand basket. The family becomes an allegory for humanity itself as it survives heat waves, Ice Ages, pestilence, plague and seemingly endless wars and other manner of tribulation. Through all the chaos, the family pushes forward as stubbornly as humanity has through its collective
"References To Salvador Dali Make Me Hot" by Jose Rivera
8 p.m. April 25, 26, 27, May 2, 3, 4 and 2 p.m. May 5
Studio Theatre (Bldg. 25, Rm. 110)
In Barstow, California, Gabriela welcomes the return of her husband Benito from the Gulf War. She entertains a surreal fantasy painted against the high desert landscape, punctuated by a talking coyote, moon and cat. Playwright Jose Rivera's drama is built around a sense of magical realism that encourages viewers to release expectations of reality.
*Dance concerts and festivals are offered annually, but dates and times are TBA.