Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Ithaca College Theatre Productions:



ITHACA COLLEGE THEATRE AND SCHOOL OF MUSIC
WILL PRESENT LEHAR’S ‘THE MERRY WIDOW’


Ithaca, NY—Ithaca College Theatre and the Ithaca College School of Music will present "The Merry Widow," a romantic operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehar. Performances will be held at 8:00 p.m. on February 14, 16, 18, 22, and 24, with a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday, February 19. All performances will be held in the Hoerner Theatre at Dillingham Center.

Tickets can be purchased at the Ithaca College Theatre ticket office in Dillingham Center, the Clinton House Ticket Center, and Cornell University’s Willard Straight Hall. Ticket prices range from $4.50 to $10.00. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more by calling (203) 260-9508. For more information call (607) 274-3224 or visit
www.ithaca.edu/theatre.

The librettists, Viktor Leon and Leo Stein, based the story of rich widow Anna Glawari and her attempt to find a husband on an 1861 comedy, "L’Attache d’ambassade" ("The Ambassador’s Attaché"), by Henri Meilhac. The Ithaca College production of "The Merry Widow" is set during the World War II era. Thirty students (including 21 seniors), over 90 costumes, three sets, and two choreographers create the production’s burlesque atmosphere. The annual opera at Ithaca College, "The Merry Widow" is an opportunity to see the collaboration of the Ithaca College School of Music and the Department of Theatre Arts in putting on a performance in a professional model.

The operetta focuses its attention on the fate of the principality of Pontevedro. Baron Mirko Zeta wants to prevent Anna Glawari, recent widow of the owner of the Bank of Pontevedro, from marrying a foreigner, hence leaving Pontevedro in financial ruin. Past lovers Anna and Count Danilo Danilovich reunite at Maxim’s, a cabaret bar in Paris, and Baron Zeta attempts to convince Danilo that he has a patriotic duty to his country to marry the widow, a very becoming and sly woman who has many suitors and is fully aware of their love of her money. The show also contains many other romantic relationships that border on the verge of infidelity and complete love.

David Lefkowich, director of last year’s Ithaca College Theatre production of "The Consul," is returning this year to guest direct "The Merry Widow." A seasoned professional, Lefkowich has directed productions for various companies around the country, including the New York City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and Glimmerglass Opera. He is also an experienced stage combat director. A graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Speech with a degree in theater, Lefkowich also holds a certificate from Ecole-Jacques Lecoq in Paris.

The musical director is assistant professor of music performance Denes Van Parys. In addition to conducting national tours of "Fiddler on the Roof," "My Fair Lady," "Annie Get Your Gun," and "Man of La Mancha," he has conducted at the Tri-Cities Opera, Delaware Opera, Century Chambers Players, Taipei Symphony, and the Opera House in Seoul, Korea. Van Parys’s New York credits include the York Theater’s production of "Golden Boy" and a workshop production of the Strouse/Adams musical "Remember Me."

The cast of "The Merry Widow" includes vocal performance majors Alexandra Loutsion ’06 as Anna, J. Thomas Morris ’06 as Danilo, and Stephanie Lauricella ’06 as Valencienne, the beautiful wife of Baron Zeta. Musical theater major Daniel Calvert Greenwood ’08 plays Baron Mirko Zeta and acting major Christopher Hollowell ’06 plays Njegus, the clerk of the Pontevedro legation.

The artistic design team includes assistant professor of theater arts Andrew Holland as set designer, Jennifer Caprio as guest costume designer, and assistant professor of theater arts Steve TenEyck as lighting designer.

A nationally recognized professional theater training program, the Department of Theatre Arts attracts students from across the United States. Through Ithaca College Theatre and the production season, undergraduate students present all aspects of theater in a professional model. Ithaca College Theatre has been a cultural resource for Tompkins County and the region for more than 70 years.

http://www.ithaca.edu/news
Contact: Keith Davis