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Lipscomb Theatre announces 2018-19 season

Lacey Klotz  | 

Lipscomb Theatre just announced its 2018-19 season and Beki Baker, chair of the Lipscomb University theatre department, says they have already received an overwhelming amount of excitement from Lipscomb Theatre students.

“There is always so much thought and strategy that goes into creating a season line-up, so when we recently announced it internally to our theatre students and saw the joy and enthusiasm that followed, it was extremely affirming and made us that much more excited to share this upcoming season with the greater Nashville community,” said Baker.

“Our 2018-19 lineup includes an extremely diverse representation of playwrights, cultures, eras and stories, and because we consider ourselves a classical-based training ground for students, we believe this season will help foster a lot of growth for our students and department.” 

The community is in for a treat this season with a front-row seat to a variety of shows from classical works to modern pieces only a couple of years old including shows by French, Spanish and American playwrights, male and female playwrights as well as a shadow-interpreted performance for the deaf and hard of hearing. All performances are anticipated to provide an all around good time for our audiences, Baker said.

Tartuffe – Sept. 14-23

Lipscomb Theatre will open its season with Molière’s 17th century French comedy “Tartuffe,” Sept. 14-23 in the Flatt Amphitheatre. Directed by Nat McIntyre, the show will feature an all-student cast as well as a partnership with Lipscomb’s Department of French.

Originally subtitled as “The Hypocrite” in 1664, the play focuses on Tartuffe, a scheming religious fraud who ingratiates himself in the wealthy household of gullible Orgon, spouting virtues while secretly trying to seduce Orgon’s wife.

Through a partnership with Lipscomb’s Department of French, French majors will help Lipscomb Theatre students to better understand 17th century French culture and literature to best tell the story.

“We are thrilled to partner with Lipscomb’s department of French,” said Baker. “Throughout the course of the semester, French students will study Molière specifically his contribution to literature, language and culture, and will help work with our theatre students to develop the presentation.

“We also love opening our season outdoors in the Flatt Amphitheatre because it has such a visible presence on campus, and allows for a dynamic, energetic performance under the stars.”

Godspell – Nov. 2-11

The 2018-19 season will continue Nov. 2-11 with Stephen Schwartz’s three-time Grammy and Academy Award-winning musical “Godspell,” in Collins Alumni Auditorium.

An immensely successful rock opera that was first produced on Broadway in 1971, “Godspell” broke new ground in its stage treatment of the historical Jesus Christ. Based on the Gospel according to St. Matthew, the production includes dramatized versions of several well-known parables.

Directed by Scott Baker, director of marketing and recruiting for the George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts, the musical will feature an all-student cast that will perform the 2012 revival version of the play.  

Music will be directed by musician and songwriter John Mark Painter and will feature a band comprised of students within the Contemporary Music program at Lipscomb.

“We are very excited to present ‘Godspell’ as this year’s fall musical,” said Baker. “This is such a well-known, well-versed musical about the life and death of Jesus, and is definitely one for families to come enjoy together.

“We are also excited to partner with the School of Music to present this musical. John Mark Painter is an incredible, well-known musician who will work directly with our theatre students as vocalists as well as contemporary music program students who will make up our band. These interdisciplinary opportunities and interconnectedness as a college is exactly what makes our program such a valuable training ground for students because it mimics that of a real-world theatrical experience.”

Silent Sky – Feb. 15-24

Beginning Feb. 15 and running through Feb. 24, Lipscomb Theatre will bring award-winning playwright Lauren Gunderson’s “Silent Sky” to Shamblin Theatre. Directed by Beki Baker, the play will feature a shadow-interpreted performance through a partnership with Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, as a follow up to last year’s smashing success with “The Miracle Worker.”

Based on the true story and science of early 20th century female “computers” at Harvard Observatory, “Silent Sky” follows the story of Henrietta Leavitt as she maps distant stars in galaxies beyond our own. This brilliant, headstrong pioneer struggles for recognition in the man’s world of turn-of-the-century astronomy. In this exquisite blend of science, history, family ties and fragile love, a passionate young woman must map her own passage through a society determined to keep a woman in her place. 

‘Silent Sky’ will feature a small, intimate cast that will tackle some really dramatic material,” said Baker. “The play itself is very deep and profound and will be great for our students to stretch themselves in this capacity. The main character is also hard of hearing, so we are excited to feature our second shadow-interpreted performance at Lipscomb.”

During the shadow-interpreted performance, Lipscomb’s Scott Baker, who has served as a professional interpreter for the deaf for over 20 years, will serve as an American Sign Language consultant for the performance and will be on stage with the actors following them around and providing a much more dynamic interpretation.

Elevate 2019 – March 8-10

Lipscomb University’s Foundation Dance Theatre will shake up the theater season with its annual spring dance concert, Elevate, which features students telling stories through movement and various types of dance. Elevate 2019 will run March 8-10 in Shamblin Theatre.

Directed by Kari Smith and Leigh Anne Ervin, adjunct professors and co-founders of the Foundation Dance Theatre, Each piece showcases dance styles including: ballet, jazz, musical theater, hip hop, modern, lyrical, contemporary and tap. There are also a few comedic pieces, some that are fierce and even some that are heavy.

Blood Wedding – April 11-14

Lipscomb Theatre’s 2018-19 season will wrap April 11-14 with “Blood Wedding” by Spanish playwright Federico García Lorca, in Shamblin Theatre.

Directed by Lipscomb adjunct professor and artistic associate for the Nashville Shakespeare Festival Santiago Sosa, Lorca’s 1930s tragedy is filled with themes about choice, deception, fate and nature, and all circles around a wedding and an epic family feud, said Baker.

“Lorca is to Spanish playwriting as Shakespeare is to English playwriting, and we are excited to bring an epic story like “Blood Wedding” to the Shamblin Theatre stage,” she continued. “Our students are very excited to work with Santiago Sosa, who is brilliant actor and coach, and will do a wonderful job bringing this work to life.”

Tickets

Tickets are regularly $15 for adults, $10 for university faculty/staff/alumni and $5 for students per show. Lipscomb Theatre will offer season ticket packages this summer that will represent the deepest available discount to see all of the great shows.

Lipscomb University's Department of Theatre is committed to leading the future in arts education through rigorous training, interdisciplinary collaboration, and faith-focused community. On our stages, the next generation of citizen artists are cultivating the discipline and passion it takes to impact their communities and the world. To learn more about Lipscomb Theatre, located in the George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts, click here