Last modified: Thursday, April 1, 2010
IU Theatre and Drama to present Tony-Award winning Sondheim classic 'A Little Night Music'
WHAT:
A Little Night Music (music by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler) under the direction and choreography of Emmy Award-winner George Pinney, IU professor and head of the Musical Theatre Program, with musical direction by Terry LaBolt, IU assistant professor and musical director of IU's Musical Theatre Program.
WHEN: Opens Friday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m., with additional performances April 17, April 20-24 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee performance on Saturday, April 24, at 2 p.m.
WHERE: All performances take place at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre in the Lee Norvelle Theatre and Drama Center at 275 N. Jordan Ave. No photography or recording of any kind is permitted during performances.
TICKETS: Regular admission is $20, $15 for students and senior citizens; Student Rush Tickets: $12 cash with a valid IU Bloomington student ID on the day of each performance. Ask the box office about buying tickets in advance at student rush price with flex vouchers.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University's Lee Norvelle Theatre and Drama Center concludes its 2009-2010 season with the Stephen Sondheim musical A Little Night Music, under the direction and choreography of IU Professor George Pinney and musical direction of IU Assistant Professor Terry LaBolt.
A Little Night Music celebrates the desperation and delight of romantic attraction as a trio of mismatched couples in Sweden tries to find their way to love. "The humor is penetrating, deep in comment on the human condition and just a little twisted," said Pinney. "This is my favorite musical."
Inspired by Ingmar Bergman's film Smiles of a Summer Night and featuring a score set entirely in waltz-time, A Little Night Music tells the romantic tale of an aging gentleman's marriage to a young "trophy wife." A weekend in a country chateau with a host of engaging characters and wonderful flirtations reveals the beauty of true love. A Little Night Music includes one of Sondheim's most popular songs, the Grammy Award-winning "Send in the Clowns."
A Little Night Music won six Tony Awards (including best musical), six Drama Desk Awards (including book and score), the Grammy award for best original cast show album, and has been nominated for a host of other awards. Pinney calls the music "some of Sondheim's absolute best, all scored in waltz time."
Pinney says the costumes are of utmost importance to this production, which is set at the turn of the 19th-century. "Costumes instantly reveal the romantic roles of the characters giving the audience a knowing view of what is about to transpire," Pinney said. Third-year M.F.A. costume designer Erica Griese (Clean House, An Ideal Husband, The Wild Party and Metamorphoses) has taken on the ruffles, white tie and parasols, using materials that resemble the doily lace outlining a cascade of valentines.
Joining Griese on the design team are third-year M.F.A. lighting designer Liz Replogle (As You Like It, The America Play, Dead Man Walking and Metamorphoses) who will also be designing lights for A Little Night Music as her thesis project, scenic design by second-year M.F.A. scenic designer Katie McDermott (The Clean House, Stop Kiss), and sound design by Assistant Professor Andrew Hopson.
Some of the all-star cast consists of Martin Allegretti (Blood Brothers, Oklahoma! and The Wild Party), Mark Banik (As You Like It, Oklahoma! and Hamlet), Matt Birdsong (Blood Brothers and Oklahoma!) Matthew Martin (Marat/Sade, Blood Brothers, Oklahoma! and Hamlet) Julia Mosby (Blood Brothers and Oklahoma!), and Abby Rowold (Marat/Sade, Clean House, An Ideal Husband and Dead Man Walking). For more information about the entire cast and production team, visit www.theatre.indiana.edu.
