ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Winthrop University’s Department of Theatre and Dance will make audiences laugh, cry and celebrate with its two upcoming productions.
“EVERYBODY” – Oct. 4-9
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ “Everybody” brings a modern-day adaptation to the 15th-century morality play “Everyman,” considered one of the first recorded plays in the English language. The play follows a character named Everybody who travels down a road toward life’s greatest mystery.
But…who plays Everybody? Well, that depends on which show time you attend!
The production uses a unique casting design in which each student-actor memorizes the entire script so the student-actor can portray any role. Winthrop’s “Everybody” cast will select via lottery a different student-actor for the role before each showing. This bold decision is meant to symbolize the randomness of death.
The cast list includes John Anthony Brawner, Courtney Clark, Grayson Skidmore, Mattie Washburn, Francis Judge, Jasmine Diaz, Kay Robinson, Kyran Anderson and Rayshawn Simuel. The all-student production crew will be led by Eden Cook and stage-managed by Emily Dennison.
Show times are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4-7 and 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Oct. 8, in Johnson Studio Theatre.
“RENT” - Oct. 25-29
Don’t worry, fans – you don’t have to wait “525,600 Minutes” to see the beloved Tony Award-winning musical, “Rent.” Winthrop’s rendition opens Oct. 25 in Johnson Theatre.
Jonathan Larson’s Broadway musical “Rent” follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York City’s Lower East Side while under the shadow of HIV/AIDs. “Rent” first premiered in 1996 and has won critical acclaim, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It’s considered one of the longest-running shows on Broadway.
Student-actors include Aiden Tibbitt (Mark); Sydney Largent (Joanne); Rollins Mosley (Roger); Thomas Sowell (Benny); Herbert White (Angel); Anthony Rowe (Tom); Claudia Sanoval (Mimi); Lura Zimmerman (Maureen); and more. Professor of Theatre Stephen Gundersheim will direct with student Cooper Beck serving as stage manager.
Show times are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25-28; 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 27; and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29.
*“Rent” contains mature content and may not be suitable for children.
TICKETS
“Everybody” tickets are $5 with a Winthrop ID or $10 for the general public for the Oct. 4-5 shows. Tickets are $8 with a Winthrop ID or $15 for the general public for the Oct. 6-8 shows.
“Rent” tickets are $10 with a Winthrop ID or $15 for the general public for all shows.
For more information, please contact Lauren Grad, the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ director of communications, at 803/323-2399 or e-mail gradl@winthrop.edu.
