The Franklin College students will perform two theater pieces this week that explore themes of modern communication and farce.
The theater department will perform Eugene Lonesco’s “The Bald Soprano,” preceded by Christopher Durang’s short play “Mrs. Sorken,” at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday. All performances will be in Théâtre Margot in the Johnson Center for Fine Arts at the corner of Branigin Boulevard and Grizzly Drive.
Lonesco, a Romanian-French playwright, was one of the leaders of Theatre of the Absurd movement. “The Bald Soprano” follows a meeting between Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Mr. and Mrs. Martin. The couples engage in meaningless banter and non sequiturs all to illustrate Ionesco’s theme about the futility of conversation in modern times.
“Mrs. Sorken” is a one-act play about a suburban matron who is scheduled to give a lecture on the meaning of theater, but she lost her notes and has to ad lib the talk.
Robin Roberts, associate professor of theater, directs both plays. Roberts has a master’s degree in playwriting from Southern Illinois University and has directed and taught courses in theater, speech and film at the University of Wisconsin-Marshfield, Clemson University in South Carolina and Hanover College in Indiana.
Roberts is an award-winning playwright whose plays have been produced in South Carolina, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Washington, Wisconsin and New York. His play “Dilemmas with Dinner” was published by Playscripts Inc.
General admission is $12. Admission is $8 for students and seniors (55 and older). Franklin College students, faculty and staff are admitted free with a valid Franklin College ID.
Tickets may be reserved by email at [email protected] or by phone at 317-738-8029 or 800-852-0232, ext. 8029.
