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Production Archives

Please check out the past productions produced by the USD Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Department.

		GONE MISSING Created by The Civilians (Damien Baldet, Steven Cosson, Trey Lyford, Jennifer R. Morris, Brian Sgambati, Alison Weller, Colleen Werthmann) Music and Lyrics by Michael Friedman Directed by Colleen Collar Smith Musical Direction by Andy Ingersoll April 26-29, 2012 Studio Theatre, Sacred Heart Hall GONE MISSING, the inspired creation of the investigative theatre ensemble, The Civilians, through real-life interviews with various New Yorkers ventures into the psychic landscape these urban-dwellers inhabit to explore the fractured and funny world of all things missing. Characters search for everything from lost keys, cell phones, shoes, dogs to loved ones in this quirky, sublimely funny, and ultimately poignant contemporary musical documentary.
		THE SHAPE OF THINGS by Neil LaBute Directed by George Yé November 17-22, 2011 Black Box Theatre (Camino 131) In this contemporary college love story, awkward and dorky Adam struggles to maintain his identity while falling in love with Evelyn, a charming graduate student in Art. She shows Adam his true potential. But change comes at a cost. Ultimately his friendships are tested and manipulated in this caustic examination of love, art, honesty, morality, and the pursuit of truth. Contains adult subject matter not suitable for all ages. TWO STUDENTS WHO APPEARED IN THE SHAPE OF THINGS WERE NOMINATED TO AUDITION FOR THE IRENE RYAN ACTING SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS OF THE REGION VIII KENNEDY CENTY AMERICAN COLLEGE THEATER FESTIVAL 44 HELD AT WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY IN FEBRUARY 2012. THEY ARE JENNIFER PAREDES AND PHILIP MILLER. CONGRATULATIONS!
		THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original by Nikolai Gogol Directed by Terry Glaser October 20-23, 2011 Shiley Theatre In one of the greatest - and funniest - classics of world theatre, the corrupt inhabitants of a provincial Russian village mistake an insignificant civil servant for a government inspector in disguise. In the ensuing panic, humanity is laid bare in all its vanity and greed. With a wild combination of slapstick farce and sharp social satire, this hilarious new adaptation gives fresh life to Gogol's comic masterpiece. See below for related events prior to the opening of THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR. THE MYSTERIOUS DWARF Written and performed by Terry Glaser Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. French Parlor, Founders Hall Patrons may visit www.sandiego.edu/cas/theatrearts for more information. Spend an evening with Russian author Nikolai Gogol, as he takes you on a bizarre journey through his life and death. Terry Glaser, USD Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Department faculty member and director of the department's production of Gogol's The Government Inspector, brings this enigmatic writer to life in her one-person show, as Gogol tries to solve the riddle of his existence. SHADES OF GOGOL A variety of presentations by USD faculty across the curriculum, regarding the writings of Nikolai Gogol and the inspiration he has provided to other artists over the last 150 years. Sunday, October 9, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. French Parlor, Founders Hall GOGOL IN GOGOLTHA Dennis Rohatyn, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy What is the distinction between banality and evil? Why are they often confused, or mistaken for one another? How does Gogol reduce each notion to absurdity? Why is Gogol’s comic catharsis the best way to prevent banality from becoming evil, and evil from being banal? How does language both elide and erase the distinction? Why does that matter, especially if we care at all about words—and about people? THE WEIRDNESS OF LITERATURE Fred Robinson, Ph.D. Professor of English Students of literature are often taught to create "meaning" from a text through a process of abstraction, coming up with a rational, formulated thesis that is meant to calm down the experience of reading the text, of encountering and responding to its hectic, dynamic, volatile, disturbing, discomforting, and pleasurable life. Literature's "meaning" needs to be drawn from that life, not abstracted from it. Many of the most respected works of literature are manic, comic, irrational, weird. Gogol's weirdness provides an occasion to bring up instances of weirdness in literature, in both canonical and ignored texts. TWO STUDENTS WHO APPEARED IN THIS PRODUCTION WERE NOMINATED TO AUDITION FOR THE IRENE RYAN ACTING SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS OF THE REGION VIII KENNEDY CENTY AMERICAN COLLEGE THEATER FESTIVAL 44 HELD AT WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY IN FEBRUARY 2012. THEY ARE GENEVIEVE NYLEN AND CONNOR SULLIVAN. CONGRATULATIONS!
		THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE by Charles Mee May 3-8, 2011 Directed by Monica Stufft Studio Theatre A soufflé of five Molieres, whipped together with a pinch of Wycherley—in which an older man orders up a young Asian bride for delivery, to the outrage of his sister, his two daughters, and even his personal trainers. They ask him: does he think he can just buy a bride? And he asks them: do they think it would be better if he were just to rent one? "The Mail Order Bride" is USD's spring theater entry," The Vista, April 27, 2011 The USD Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Department invites you to attend two post-show discussions that will take place directly following the USD production of Charles L. Mee’s The Mail Order Bride on May 4th and May 5th. Wednesday, May 4, 2011 Business of Celebrity Our discussion will explore the contemporary business of being a celebrity. Taking a closer look at how the role of paparazzi, Reality TV, modern media, and our world’s fabrication of the supply and demand needed to fulfill this growing industry affects the celebrities involved. Featured respondents: Dr. Tara Ceranic, Business and Society Ph.D. University of Washington, Business Ethics Dr. Sarah Foregger, Communication Studies Ph.D., Michigan State University, Communication Thursday, May 5, 2011 America’s Obsession with Youth Our discussion will address the modern explosion of America’s obsession with youth, how this obsession has developed during the past few decades and the affect this obsession has had on gender norms and media relations. Taking a specific look at how the media targets “youthifying” the American citizen and how in turn this helps the fashion, diet, and celebrity industries thrive. Featured respondents: Dr. Kristine Ehrich, Marketing Ph.D. The University of Texas at Austin, Marketing Dr. Esteban Del Rio, Communication Studies Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Amherst, Communication Dr. Evelyn Kirkley, Theology and Gender Studies Ph.D., Duke University, Religion
		MRS. BOB CRATCHIT'S WILD CHRISTMAS BINGE by Christopher Durang November 18-23 & December 1-4, 2010 Directed by Carrie Klewin USD Black Box Theatre (Camino Hall 131) When a sassy ghost once again attempts to shake Scrooge from his holiday humbug, the whole family-friendly affair is deliciously derailed by Mrs. Cratchit's drunken insistence on stepping out of her miserable, treacly role. Morals are subverted, starving yet plucky children sing carols, and somebody's goose is cooked! “Christmas Binge” is fun and unorthodox. The Vista, December 8, 2010 Theatre department play brings laughter and holiday spirit to USD
		ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD by Tom Stoppard October 14-17, 2010 Directed by George Yé Shiley Theatre This Shakespearean Laurel and Hardy finally get a chance to take the lead role, but do so in a world where echoes of Waiting for Godot resound, where reality and illusion intermix, and where fate leads our two heroes to a tragic but inevitable end. Seven articles in The Vista written by USD student
		THE SAINT PLAYS by Erik Ehn April 22-25, 2010 in Studio Theatre A collection of short plays, contemporary fairy tales for the stage, loosely based on the lives of saints and biblical characters. Including one especially written by Ehn in honor of USD's esteemed Sister Sally Furay R.S.C.J., Vice President and Provost of the University of San Diego (1972-1996). An avid theatre goer, Sister Sally was the force behind the Alcala Park Players, the club that initiated a theatre presence at USD. Directed by Robert Barry Fleming, MFA, Chair and Associate Professor of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies. Undergraduate Theatre Production Explores Power of Faith, Religion. The Vista, April 22, 2010. Theater student shares audition joys and woes. The Vista, February 3, 2010. Thursday, April 22, 2010 5:30 pm Plenary with Playwright Erik Ehn “The Saints: Iconic Figures and Why We Need Them” Location: French Parlor, Founders Hall Reception follows in the Founders Atrium (THE SAINT PLAYS opens in the Studio Theatre at 7:30pm) No charge. Co-sponsored with the Center for Catholic Thought and Culture. A post-show discussion will take place directly following the USD production of Erik Ehn's The Saint Plays, on Friday, April 23, 2010. Icons: Sacred and Secular Our discussion will explore the presence of both sacred and secular icons in The Saint Plays. Ehn has explained that each piece contains "a pattern, a saint and a prayer" where saints are "fountainheads of imagery and of that difficulty that concentrates the imagination" where "characters reach to each other across eras." We will consider, for example, how John the Baptist exists in the same landscape as Buddy Holly and Elvis on The Saint Plays stage. Moderator: Dr. Monica Stufft, Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Featured respondent: Dr. Susie Paulik Babka, Theology and Religious Studies
		AN EXPERIMENT WITH AN AIR PUMP by Shelagh Stephenson November 19, 20, 21, 22 at 2pm, 23, and 24, 2009 in USD Black Box/C131 This play addresses such provocative concerns as the state of medical ethics, passion vs. love, the evolving role of women and the aims of science at the dawning of eras nearly 200 years apart. One century heralding the birth of the Industrial Age, the other the age of biotechnology. Directed by Liz Shipman. The USD Undergraduate Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Department invites you to attend a post-show discussion that will take place directly following the USD production of "An Experiment with an Air Pump" on Friday, November 20, 2009. Balancing Constructs: Gender, Art, and Science in "An Experiment with an Air Pump" Our discussion will explore what is at stake in negotiating dichotomous thinking around issues of gender, art, and science. We will address a range of themes developed in the play, such power dynamics present in historical and contemporary relationships, the role of the future and the past in constructing identities and understanding the world, as well as the complex process of balancing the pursuit of scientific knowledge with the potential outcomes of those pursuits. Moderator: Dr. Monica Stufft, Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Department Featured Respondents: Dr. Fred Robinson, English Department Alison Dressel, Theatre Arts and Performance Studies and Marine Science Major
		CABARET Book by Joe Masteroff Based on the play by John Van Druten and Stories by Christopher Isherwood Music by John Kander Lyrics by Fred Ebb Broadway production directed by Harold Prince Produced for the Broadway Stage by Harold Prince 7:30 pm October 22, 23, 24, and 2:00 pm Sunday, October 25, 2009 in Shiley Theatre It is Berlin, 1930 and political unrest racks the country. Enter an American cabaret dancer, working at the "Kit-Kat club" where anything goes under the all-seeing eye of the Master of Ceremonies. Directed by Carrie Klewin. Cabaret hits the Shiley stage. The Vista, October 28, 2009. The USD Undergraduate Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Department invites you to attend a post-show discussion that will take place directly following the USD production of CABARET on Friday, October 23rd Conflict on Stage: Exposing Sex and Violence Our discussion will explore the effects of conflict on stage, and will consider how Cabaret depicts violence performed in the intersections of religion and gender. We will address what is at stake in theatrical representations of sex and violence for both historical and contemporary contexts. Moderator: Dr. Monica Stufft, Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Department Panelists: Maria Pascuzzi, Theology & Religious Studies Milburn Line, Executive Director, IPJ
		ANON(YMOUS) by Naomi Iizuka April 30-May 7, 2009 Studio Theatre Produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. Separated from his mother, young refugee, Anon, encounters many beguiling characters like a sinister, one-eyed butcher while navigating the chaotic landscape of the United States in this entrancing adaptation of Homer’s ODYSSEY. Directed by Monica Stufft, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies. Undergraduate Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Program's "Anon(ymous)" Debuts Performances: Thursday, April 30 @ 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 1 @ 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2 @ 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2 @ 2 p.m. --- matinee Sunday, May 3 @ 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5 @ 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 6 @ 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7 @ 7:30 p.m. Tickets on sale at the Hahn University Center ticket box office or by calling 619/260-2727. Ticket prices $8 student/senior and $11 general admission. Tickets also available 45 minutes prior to curtain at the door, subject to availability. No reserved seating and no refunds. Early ticket purchase recommended due to limited seating. The USD Undergraduate Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Program invites you to attend three post-show discussions that will take place directly following the USD production of Naomi Iizuka’s Anon(ymous) on May 2nd, 5th and 6th. 1. May 2nd (2pm matinee performance): A Thing Amongst Things Our discussion will attempt to discover the relationship between things, objects and the human body. Is there a difference between things and objects? How can people change objects and how do objects change people? Can everyday objects be sacred? Can things? What does the use of found objects and things mean in this production? Featured Respondent:Dr. Evelyn Kirkley, Theology and Religious Studies 2. May 5th and 6th: My Name is Anonymous Our discussion will explore the places and spaces where anonymity is necessary and beneficial, and spaces where it leads to marginalization or exclusion. Discussants from the Schools of Peace Studies and Business Administration will address anonymity as it relates to conflict zones, sweatshops and privilege. In particular, we will explore the implications of labels: who gets what in the shaping and sharing of power, national wealth and other opportunities? Featured Respondents: Dr. Tara Ceranic, Business Ethics and Dr. Ami Carpenter, Peace Studies
		FIRST LADY SUITE (in Concert) a musical by Michael John LaChiusa December 11-14, 2008, 7:30 p.m. USD Black Box (Camino 131) An imaginative and irreverent look behind the scenes of the White House where First Ladies, Jackie and Mamie, amongst other historical figures, reveal themselves through song with four musical chamber pieces. Directed by Carrie Klewin.
		PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE by Steve Martin October 22-25, 2008 Shiley Theatre in Camino Hall When Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso meet in a Paris bar, they become instant rivals. Come watch them in their race for the punch line in this clever comic hit by Steve Martin. Directed by George Yé. Einstein and Picasso at USD. The Vista, October 20, 2008 "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" examines artistic genius. The Vista, October 30, 2008
		THEATRE SMASH Conceived and directed by Bill Castellino with David Hay April 30-May 3, May 5-8, 2008 Studio Theatre THEATRE SMASH is an original theatrical culture collision inspired by the tradition of Brecht’s cabaret. Smashing together music, poetry, and all kinds of writing, with limitless imagination, THEATRE SMASH is a one-of-a-kind live theatre happening! "Theatre SMASH" is right on cue. The Vista, May 8, 2008
		O JERUSALEM Written by A.R. Gurney Directed by Liz Shipman USD Theatre Black Box December 6-9, 2007 The undergraduate Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Program at the University of San Diego presents O JERUSALEM. An exhilarating new play that touches on global and timely issues: the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, American foreign policy, terrorism, as well as love, loyalty, and personal integrity. A play within a play that balances the global and the personal, the comic and the tragic, and what has been of the past with the what ifs of the future. “We are all in this thing together.”
		MUERTOS: A Day of the Dead Play Written and Directed by Evelyn Díaz Cruz Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies, University of San Diego Shiley Theatre in Camino Hall Fall 2007 Global in its perspective and local in its lived experience, MUERTOS will conjure images of death with pageantry, whimsy and contemplation. Through the journey of Carmen, a San Diego photography student, audiences will transcend images of crossing the Great Divide. A reflection of life as we know it in the San Diego/Tijuana region. Resplendent in visual imagery, live music, song, and dance, MUERTOS will stir your spirits. Play raises immigration awareness. The Vista, October 25, 2007. TBI grant sponsors "Dia de Los Muertos" play. The Vista, December 7, 2006.
		GLASS CORD by Evelyn Díaz Cruz Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies, University of San Diego Studio Theatre, Sacred Heart Hall Spring 2007 A new prize-winning play by USD’s Evelyn Díaz Cruz. Set on a rooftop in the Bronx, a young woman, Lupe, is seduced into the making of “glasscords” (pulverized glass glued on to kite strings). Rich in cultural symbolism GLASS CORD explores some of the myths of the maternal instinct. Filled with laughter, tears and jagged emotions, this play is a visceral account of machismo, illusion and disillusion. Directed by Claudio Raygoza.
		THE PERSECUTION AND ASSASSINATION OF JEAN-PAUL MARAT AS PERFORMED BY THE INMATES OF THE ASYLUM OF CHARENTON UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE MARQUIS DE SADE by Peter Weiss A Graduate/Undergraduate Production Studio Theatre March 14-17, 20-23, 2007 The USD/Old Globe M.F.A. and undergraduate Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Programs present Peter Weiss’ landmark, meta-theatrical phenomenon. In an insane asylum, the Marquis de Sade directs a play of Jean Paul Marat’s last days…and the patients are the actors. Directed by Sabin Epstein and Robert Barry Fleming. For mature audiences. Campus production of "Marat/Sade" vows to be an evening of unconventional theatre. The Vista, March 8, 2007.
		S.A.M. I AM by Garrett Omata Fall 2006 This play takes a hilarious look at the trials of dating in a multi-ethnic landscape where identities in the personal ads are not always what they seem. Directed by George Yé.
		THE CRUCIBLE by Arthur Miller Fall 2006 USD undergraduates in the Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Program perform this American classic by Arthur Miller. This contemporary play by arguably America’s greatest playwright includes “…a lethal brew of illicit sexuality, fear of the supernatural, and political manipulation.” Directed by David Hay. Fear is at the Center of USD's Production of "The Crucible."The Vista, October 12, 2006
		SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown Spring 2006 Brown transports his audience from the deck of a 1492 Spanish sailing ship to a ledge 57 stories above Fifth Avenue to meet a startling array of characters ranging from a young man who has determined that basketball is his ticket out of the ghetto to a woman whose dream of marrying rich nabs her the man of her dreams and a soulless marriage. These are the stories and characters of today, the songs for a new world. Says the author of this gripping revue, "It's about one moment. It's about hitting the wall and having to make a choice, or take a stand, or turn around and go back." Newcomer Jason Robert Brown (composer-lyricist of the recent critical smash "Parade") has the whole theatre community talking about his blend of savvy showmanship and exciting contemporary sound. With a small, powerhouse multi-ethnic cast and a driving, exquisitely crafted score running the gamut of today's popular music, "Songs For A New World" is a great way to bring the next generation into the theatre. It's a remarkable achievement from a remarkable new voice. Performances in the Studio Theatre in Sacred Heart Hall on the campus of the University of San Diego. Originally Produced by the WPA Theatre, New York City, 1995(Kyle Renick, Artistic Director). Original Orchestration by Brian Besterman and Jason Robert Brown. Directed and Choreographed by Robert Barry Fleming.
		IMAGINING BRAD AND THE VALERIE OF NOW by Peter Hedges Fall 2005 Peter Hedges' Imagining Brad examines the relationship between two unlikely friends and their two very different husbands as they chart their way through the terrible secrets of their past. Imagining Brad is a testimony to the power of friendship to overcome pain and celebrates the strength of the human spirit to heal. The Valerie of Now is a monologue of a girl on the occasion of her 12th birthday. What could be in store for her? Contains adult content. Directed by Cynthia Stokes.
		THE DIVINERS by Jim Leonard, Jr. Fall 2005 USD undergraduates perform this marvelously theatrical play about a disturbed young man and his friendship with a disenchanted preacher in southern Indiana in the early '30s twists through humor, tragedy, spiritual questioning and the pressures of a small town. The Diviners, written by Jim Leonard, Jr., directed by George Yé. Produced by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.
		THE GRAPES OF WRATH Based on the novel by John Steinbeck and adapted by Frank Galati Spring 2005 This story follows the Joad family's flight from the dust bowl of Oklahoma to California, this play presents the stark realities of the Great Depression as well as affirming the indomitability of the human spirit. Directed by Evelyn Díaz Cruz.
		WOODY GUTHRIE'S AMERICAN SONG Songs and Writings by Woody Guthrie, Conceived and Adapted by Peter Glazer with Orchestrations and Vocal Arrangements by Jeff Waxman. Spring 2005 A powerful and inspiring musical which takes a unique view of Depression Era America through the eyes, ears and music of singer/songwriter Woody Guthrie. Directed by Marty New.
		SYLVIA Fall 2004 Written by A. R. Gurney, this comedy is about a spunky pooch named Sylvia who finds her way into the home of Greg and Kate, a middle-aged couple living in Manhattan. Hilarious and serious complications arise between the couple when Kate and Sylvia become rivals for Greg's attention. Directed by Deanna Duplechain.
		GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA (GOOD MORNING JULIET) Fall 2004 Ann-Marie Macdonald presents a modern twist on the Shakesperian tragedies "Othello" and "Romeo & Juliet." This comedy, directed by Colleen Kelly, while remaining intellectual, also carried the appeal of being action-packed and silly at times. A young university professor, Constance Leadbelly, who believes she has found an ancient manuscript that will prove Shakespeare's plays Romeo and Juliet and Othello were originally comedies. One evening her obsessive attempt to decipher the cryptic manuscript becomes star-crossed with her personal love tragedy and Constance suddenly finds herself face to face with Juliet and Desdemona. Directed by Colleen Kelly.
		RENDEZVOUS WITH FATE Spring 2004 On April 26th, Rendezvous With Fate was performed as a staged reading in the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice theatre. Mrs. Livia Krancberg tells the story of her experience prior to her deportation to Auschwitz. Those who had the privilege of attending this event all agreed that it was moving.
		YERMA Spring 2004 Federico García Lorca would have delighted at director Evelyn Cruz's adaptation and production of this play. With outstanding performances, live music, and guava paste, Yerma, a tragic character, nonetheless tells her story in a lively production that is rich with culture.
		ARCADIA Spring 2004 Tom Stoppard challenges the performers as well as the audience tremendously in this witty English play. The contrasting periods of Classicism and Romanticism butt heads throughout the play while a brilliant little girl witnesses the shift first hand. Despite the challenge, director Terry Ross took Arcadia head on and proved the competency and boldness of our program.
		EINSTEIN'S DREAMS Fall 2003 Allan Lightman's novel was adapted and directed by Colleen Kelly. The Vista, USD's student newspaper, boasts, "The result is a smorgasbord of art and science, as actors glide across the stage in poetically choreographed sequences, while reveling in the theories of one of the world's greatest scientists... a play that is imaginative and poestically artistic, using period costumes, choreographed movement, large set designs and projection screens."
		TREPIDATION NATION Fall 2003 Directed by Colin McPhillamy, this “Phobic Anthology” is a series of monologues and scenes commissioned by different authors. It premiered at the 27th Annual Humana Festival of New American Plays at the Actors Theater of Louisville, Kentucky, and now it has found its way into another debut. Each author of Trepidation Nation explores a different phobia in post-9/11 America. Monophobia (fear of being alone), hypnophobia (fear of sleep), and phobophobia (yes, fear of developing a phobia) are a few of the fears dramatized in this ensemble production. Confronting the underlying anxieties that drive us as individuals and as a culture is a daunting task, but Trepidation Nation undertakes it courageously. Comedy and drama converge in contemporary and period settings to ask us all the same question: “What are we afraid of?”
		THE ILLUSION Spring 2003 Pierre Corneille's The Illusion, adapted by Tony Kushner, and directed by Colleen Kelly, tells the story of a father's quest to reunite with his prodigal son through calling on the power of a sorcerer. The sorcerer conjures images of the son's struggles, loves, and finally--the secret, unexpected truth. Directed by Colleen Kelly.