Cornell College and NYC's Puppet Kitchen Collaborate on a New Show

Photo by Cornell student, Robyn Covnot

Mount Vernon – The Department of Theatre at Cornell College is proud to announce their upcoming world premiere, Pictures at an Exhibition. This production was created through a two month collaboration between the Cornell College Department of Theatre and the New York City based theatre company, Puppet Kitchen. This family friendly production spins a tale of friendship, loss and adventure told through an extraordinary combination of puppetry, video and live performance. Directed by guest artist Emily DeCola, and featuring guest artist Eric Wright as Puppet Captain, this production was inspired by the paintings of architect and artist Viktor Hartmann and the music of Modest Mussorgsky.

Machinal at Cornell

Tom Wojcik, Sara Cooper, Mitchell Chapman, Sarah Feldman

Mount Vernon – The Department of Theatre at Cornell College is proud to announce its production of Machinal, by Sophie Treadwell, directed by Janeve West. Premiering on Broadway in 1928 and inspired by the 1927 murder trial and subsequent execution of Ruth Snyder, Machinal is considered one of the greatest examples of Expressionist Theatre on the American stage and remains powerfully relevant today.

Almost, Maine at Cornell

Nick Barnes and Millicent Marter.
Photo by Haley Severance

Mount Vernon – The Department of Theatre at Cornell College is proud to announce its production of Almost, Maine, written by John Cariani. This romantic comedy has received world- wide acclaim with productions by over 70 professional companies since its Off-Broadway debut in 2006. Wildly popular in high schools, this is a story that may be weird enough to show us what Love is really all about. Cornell’s production is directed by Artist in Residence, Ron Clark of Iowa City’s Riverside Theatre.

The Elephant Man at Cornell

M. C. Cole and Luke Brooks.
Photo by Haley Severance.

Mount Vernon - "The Department of Theatre at Cornell College invites you to the upcoming production of The Elephant Man, by Bernard Pomerance. Winner of the 1979 Tony Award for Best Play, this production is directed by Cornell College professor Jim Van Valen.

The Elephant Man opens February 21st at 7:30 pm in Kimmel Theatre on the Cornell College Campus. The production runs February 22nd and 28th and March 1st at 7:30 pm and February 23rd at 2:00 pm. Audiences are invited to return or remain in the theatre for a Talk-Back with the cast and crew immediately following the production on Friday, February 28th. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors, non-Cornell students, and youth. Those with a Cornell College ID are admitted without charge.

Birth Witches at Cornell

Myra Duffour, Per Wiger, Daniel Dempsey

Mount Vernon - "The Cornell College Department of Theatre is proud to announce its upcoming production of Birth Witches. A dark yet funny satire by Iowa City playwright Jennifer Fawcett, this production is guest directed by Leda Hoffmann of the Milwaukee Rep. Birth Witches is also co-produced with Iowa City’s Riverside Theatre.  The production runs October 10 - 13 on the Cornell College campus. It will then be remounted at Riverside Theatre and run October 18 - November 3.

It's 1606 and the witch craze has come to London. King James rules a land steeped in superstition, trapped in politics and at the dawning of the Scientific Revolution. A new profession called "Physician" has become popular with the elite and the traditions of the midwives are called into question. As the new male doctors fight to replace the old female midwives, accusations of witchcraft overturn hundreds of years of tradition and release dark fears and acts of violence. Fawcett’s dramatic satire offers a heart-wrenching and darkly funny look at the superstition and politics that transformed midwives into witches.

Cloud 9 at Cornell

Mount Vernon - "The Department of Theatre at Cornell College is proud to announce the upcoming production of Caryl Churchill’s comedy Cloud 9. Directed by Janeve West, Cloud 9 reveals the ties of colonial oppression and the bindings of post-colonial identities through cross-dressing, gender switching, and uproarious laughter.

Cloud 9 opens April 26th at 7:30 pm in the Plumb-Fleming Studio Theatre at Cornell College. The production will run April 27th and May 3rd and 4th at 7:30 pm. In addition, there will be an afternoon performance on May 5th at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for non-Cornell students. Faculty, staff, and students of Cornell are admitted without charge with a Cornell ID, but encouraged to reserve their tickets in advance. Seating is limited so early arrival and ticket reservations are strongly recommended.

Avenue Q Opens February 22

Pictured left to right: Alex Casillas’14, Nolan Breard’14, Millicent Marter’15,
Daniel Dempsey’14, Fatima Daknish’16, Caryn Schebowich’15, Tessa Cacek’13

Mount Vernon - "The Departments of Theatre and Music at Cornell College would like to announce the upcoming production of the musical AVENUE Q with music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and book by Jeff Whitty. This Broadway hit, which won the Tony for Best Musical in 2004, is directed by Cornell professor Jim VanValen with musical direction by Tony Nickle.

AVENUE Q opens February 22nd at 7:30 pm in Kimmel Theatre. The production then runs February 23rd and March 1st and 2nd at 7:30pm and February 24th and March 3rd at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for non-Cornell students. Faculty, staff, and students of Cornell are admitted without charge.

“Violent delights have violent ends…” Cornell College Presents Romeo and Juliet

Mt. Vernon - From Cornell College:

"Love and hate endure in the Cornell College Department of Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s masterpiece, Romeo and Juliet. This tale of thwarted love and deadly betrayal runs October 12, 13, 19, and 20 at 7:30 and October 21 at 2:00 pm in the Kimmel Theatre. Distinguished Artist in Residence, Ron Clark, directs.

Perhaps one of the world’s most enduring love stories, Romeo and Juliet continues to mesmerize audiences with a heartbreaking tale of love set against the violent feuds running rampant in the streets of Verona. The story of these young lovers begins amidst the vicious hatred of their two families, the Capulets and the Montagues. With swords drawn, family loyalty is tempered in the heat of public brawls, words of vengeance and acts of retribution. It is in this crucible that furtive glances ignite the fire of romance between our young lovers.

Tensions rise when servants of the warring families engage in a bloody confrontation in the market place. The level of rage is balanced by the heat of passion when Romeo and Juliet fall immediately in love at a masked ball. Their secret wedding transpires only with the aid of Friar Lawrence and Juliet’s nurse. Though the fate of these star-crossed-lovers is generally known today, a cast of twenty Cornell College students make this production as vivid as when it was first penned by The Bard more than 400 years ago.

Many of the performers are also a part of the technical crews and teams necessary to mount this lavish production. “The youthful vigor and vulnerability that this script demands are in bountiful supply among our young artists,” notes director Ron Clark, “I think [Romeo and Juliet] is the most accessible and performable of the tragedies for younger actors. Our production is giving our students the opportunity to work in period costumes and learn a sense of style that goes with them.” Collaborating with the director is Jason Tipsword, fight choreographer, Brenda VanValen, choreographer, Jenny Kelchen, costume designer, Matt Allar, scenic designer and Scott Olinger, lighting designer.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors/students/youth and free with Cornell College ID. Tickets can be purchased at the box office between 3:00 – 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, October 1st through 12th, or at the door. You can reserve your tickets by calling (319) 895-4293. Due to violence and brief nudity, viewer discretion is advised."

What Are You Doing This Weekend?

Happy St. Patrick's day, Iowa theatregoers! Don't forget, in addition to parades and parties, there are plenty of performances to peruse this weekend.

Here's an overview:

@Washington Community Center

The Harp Players Washington Community Theatre are presenting A Dog's Life, Sean Grennan's musical comedy about a reluctant dog owner who comes to terms with the lovable mutt. The production is directed by Mike Tschantz and stars Ed Colby and Greg Wiley. (Friday & Saturday, 7:30pm, 2225 250th St in Washington)

@TCR

TCR continues its production of The Wedding Singer, a musical comedy based on the popular movie. Directed by Leslie Charipar, the production stars Rob Merritt and Nicolette Coiner-Winn. (Friday & Saturday, 7:30pm, Sunday 2:30pm, 102 2nd St SE in Cedar Rapids)

@The First Street Building in Mt. Vernon

Cornell College's Theatre Interest Group is presenting a new play festival, including plays by Meg Bradley, Elizabeth Brown, Grace Callahan, DJ Dorrington, Adeara Jean Maurice, Brian Tanner and Amy White. Cornell students act and direct. (Sunday @7pm, 221 1st St E in Mt. Vernon)

So get out to the theatre!

Cornell presents Pirates One Weekend Only

Mount Vernon - The Cornell College Lyric Theatre will present a production of the perennial favorite The Pirates of Penzance. The Gilbert and Sullivan musical comedy is directed and choreographed by guest artist Steven Smeltzer with musical direction by Cornell professor Jonathon Thull. The production will run Feb. 3, 4, and 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 6 at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for non-Cornell students. Faculty, staff, and students of Cornell are admitted without charge.

The Pirates of Penzance has enjoyed a long and successful history; since its premiere in 1879 it has been widely produced throughout the world and is among the best remembered of the comic operas of its creators. Pirates is a colorful and romantic story with a number of well known characters, including the upright Modern Major-General and the Pirate King. The story deals with Frederic, an honorable young man nearing the end of his apprenticeship to a band of famous pirates. Naturally complications ensue when Frederic falls in love with the beautiful daughter of the Major-General, and finds himself torn between his desire to marry Mabel and live an honest life and his obligation to the pirates who raised him.

Cornell College’s Lyric Theatre is a semi-annual collaboration between the Theatre Arts department and the Music department at the college.

The fanciful Victorian setting is beautifully realized by costume designers Jenny Nutting Kelchen and Cornell senior Risa Alecci. In addition the college is working with professional guest artists Christopher Domanski and John Dunkle, Scenic and Lighting Designers, respectively.

In addition The Pirates of Penzance features a talented cast of Cornell students. Frederic and Mabel, the young lovers are played by Senior Alex LeFebrve and Freshman Taylor Sedlacek. Other student actors include Josh Atcher as the Pirate King and Jonathan Nadolny as the Major-General Stanley as well as Katie Cutler as Ruth, Frederic’s nursemaid turned pirate maid-of-all-work. Pirates of Penzance is a classic adventure story of pirates, beautiful girls, romance and comedy. Tickets can be purchased at the box office by calling in advance at (319) 895-4293, or at the door.