Acting Commons^™

Sweet Charity, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1994-1995 Season

Sweet Charity follows the romantic trials and tribulations of Charity Hope Valentine, “a girl who wanted to be loved.” Charity is a taxi dancer, a dance partner-for-hire at a seedy dance hall in New York City. Though the job may be decidedly undesirable, Charity’s hopeful romanticism and unfailing optimism lift her out of her circumstances and help her reach for a life beyond. In the past, she’s been strung along and hung out to dry by a series of bad relationships and lousier men. When she meets Oscar, a neurotic, shy actuary seemingly from another world, will she finally find …

Six Degrees Of Separation, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1994-1995 Season

When a young and effortlessly charismatic black con man claiming to be the son of Sidney Poitier himself smiles his way into the sympathetic living rooms of a few of New York City’s white wealthy elite, and tears a swath of disillusionment through their preconceptions and comfortable lives, the thirst for understanding leaves them questioning their sense of selves. Ouisa and Flan, the play’s central duo and two married art dealers, find themselves victims of a strange invasion after offering a young man, who appears to have been mugged in Central Park, shelter in their apartment. He tells them he …

The Cherry Orchard, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1994-1995 Season

On a frosty May morning while the cherry trees are in bloom, impoverished Russian aristocrat, Mrs. Ranevsky, returns to her decaying ancestral home with her daughter, Anya. Mrs. Ranevsky is heavily in debt and still grief-stricken by the premature death of her son five years earlier. Her financial crisis forces the family to auction off their estate, including their beloved cherry orchard. Varya, Mrs. Ranevsky’s older, adopted daughter, has been looking after the estate and is frustrated by her mother’s refusal to accept her predicament. Ignoring the practical advice of local businessman, Yermolay Lopakhin, the family cannot come to a …

Androcles And The Lion, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1994-1995 Season

Androcles is a slave who is abused by his master, Pantalone. Androcles is trying to help two young lovers , Isabella and Lelio. In order to make sure that his niece will not run off with her boyfriend, Pantalone hires the Captain to guard her. Androcles outwits the Captain and helps the lovers to elope. In the forest, Androcles encounters the Lion who is limping from a thorn in its paw. Androcles does the good deed of removing the thorn and is rewarded by the Lion's help in escaping his master.

https://stageagent.com/shows/play/2340/androcles-and-the-lion

True West, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1994-1995 Season

True West follows the story of two estranged brothers, Austin and Lee. Austin is has a successful budding career in the film industry. He offers to housesit for his mother, and decides to work on a new screenplay while he has some peace and quiet. Lee, an alcoholic and a thief, unexpectedly shows up and proceeds to disrupt Austin’s life, eventually managing to take over the writing of the screenplay himself. The two brothers end up in a role-reversal, with each admitting that he has always envied the other's way of life.

https://stageagent.com/shows/play/1646/true-west

Cat Among The Pigeons, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1994-1995 Season

Un fil à la patte (known in English as Cat Among the Pigeons or Love on the Rack) is a French bedroom farce in three acts written by Georges Feydeau. The play premiered on January 9, 1894 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, and is considered one of Feydeau's masterpieces.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Un_fil_%C3%A0_la_patte

1994-1995 Season Brochure, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

Theatre and Dance Annual Brochures

Annual promotional piece of the upcoming season's shows.

The Brothers Karamazov, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1993-1994 Season

The Brothers Karamazov is about a murder, and a complex discussion of faith, doubt, and morality. It begins with the father, Fyodor Karamazov. Fyodor is a cruel and lustful man who has fathered three sons: Dmitri, a man driven by his passions; Ivan, a man driven by his intellect; and Alexei, also called Aloysha, who is driven by his faith in Christ. He was cruel to the boys and their mothers, and sent the boys away to be raised by others. https://study.com/academy/lesson/dostoyevskys-the-brothers-karamazov-summary-characters.html

Pippin, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1993-1994 Season

The musical uses the premise of a mysterious Performance troupe, led by a Leading Player, to tell the story of Pippin, a young prince on his search for meaning and significance.

The protagonist Pippin and his father Charlemagne are characters derived from two real-life individuals of the early Middle Ages, though the plot is fictional and presents no historical accuracy regarding either. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pippin_(musical)

King Lear, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1993-1994 Season

Lear, King of Britain, in an attempt to avoid future strife, divides his kingdom between his three daughters. His eldest two, Regan (wife of Cornwall) and Gonerill (wife of Albany), respond to his request for a show of love, but Cordelia is unable to, not wanting to be hypocritical. https://www.playshakespeare.com/king-lear/synopsis

Museum, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1993-1994 Season

When the mastodons escape, Jame needs another exhibit for the Museum. Luckily, he has a friend with wonderful bones. The Curator is delighted with her new specimen, but she can't help wondering: Who, or what, is behind the mysterious exodus of flora and fauna? An elegiac and absurd look at the intersections of memory and desire, set to the tune of a music box. https://www.playscripts.com/play/1543

Winnie-The-Pooh, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1993-1994 Season

Winnie-the-Pooh is Christopher Robin's fat little "bear of very little brain" who would like to drift peacefully through life, humming tunes and stopping frequently to eat "a little something." ... Pooh's intentions are always the best, but his passion for honey and condensed milk keeps getting him into trouble. https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/winnie-the-p-w37000

Top Girls, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1993-1994 Season

Top Girls is a 1982 play by Caryl Churchill. It is about a woman named Marlene, a career-driven woman who is only interested in women's success in business. In the famous opening scene, she hosts a dinner party for a group of famous women from history. As the play unfolds we find Marlene has left her 'poor' life, and illegitimate child with her sister Joyce, in order to tread the path to 'success'. The play is contemporary and examines the role of women in society and what being a successful woman means.

I Hate Hamlet, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance

1993-1994 Season

Set in John Barrymore's old apartment in New York City - at the time, the author's real-life home - the play follows successful television actor Andrew Rally as he struggles with taking on the dream role of Hamlet, dealing with a girlfriend who is keeping a firm grip on her chastity, and playing host to the ghost of John Barrymore, who, clothed as Hamlet, has come back to earth for the sole purpose of convincing Rally to play the part. Real estate agent Felicia Dantine convinces Rally to stay in the apartment and hold a seance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Hate_Hamlet

1993 - 1994, Otterbein University Department Of Theatre And Dance

Theatre and Dance Annual Brochures

Annual promotional piece of the upcoming season's shows.

The Boys Next Door, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1993 Summer Theatre

Set in the Boston area, it deals with four men with various mental disabilities who live in a group home. It takes place over roughly a two-month period and consists of brief vignettes about the men's lives. The play provides a humorous commentary on the men's lives, taking a surprising turn as Barry's father comes to visit and as Jack (their caretaker) accepts a new job. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boys_Next_Door_(play)

Nunsense Ii, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1993 Summer Theatre

The Little Sisters of Hoboken, those humble nuns with a touch of show biz flair, return in style with NUNSENSE II: THE SECOND COMING. Presenting a high-spirited and zany “Thank You Program” for their many supporters, the sisters sing and dance their way across the Mount St. Helen’s stage, which is already dressed for the Hoboken Music Society’s upcoming production of The Mikado.

http://www.tamswitmark.com/shows/nunsense-ii/

The Marriage Of Bette & Boo, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1992-1993 Season

This is a memory play—a child’s coming to terms with his parents’ life story. It’s effectively Durang’s Glass Menagerie. And it deals with many of his pet issues: the seeming impossibility of relationships, the contradictions of the Catholic Church, the search for order and meaning in a chaotic and often cruel existence.

https://www.masquers.org/AcrobatDocuments/shows/2011/betteandboo-notes.pdf

Big River, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1992-1993 Season

Based on Mark Twain's classic 1884 novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, it features music in the bluegrass and country styles in keeping with the setting of the novel. Britain. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_River_(musical)

The Royal Family, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1992-1993 Season

The story is a parody of the Barrymore family of actors, with particular aim taken at John and Ethel Barrymore. The character Tony Cavendish, a heavy-drinking womanizer, represents John Barrymore. Julie Cavendish is the prima donna Broadway star Ethel Barrymore. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Royal_Family_(play)

All My Sons, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1992-1993 Season

Joe Keller, a successful businessman, lives comfortably with his wife, Kate, and son, Chris, in a suburban American neighborhood. They have only one sadness in their lives – the loss of their other son, Larry, who went missing in World War II. After three years, Kate still clings to the hope that her son is alive. https://www.shmoop.com/all-my-sons/summary.html

The Masque Of Beauty And The Beast, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1992-1993 Season

A fanciful tapestry of the theatrical enchantment retelling the ageless fairy tale for audiences of children of all ages, this production is a favorite of college drama programs. Magic is created on all levels in this stunning verse play filled with sprightly dialog, delightful and varied characterizations, and a brilliantly theatrical handling of the story. https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/the-masque-of-beauty-and-the-beast

Lend Me A Tenor, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1992-1993 Season

It is the biggest night in the history of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company. The world-famous tenor, Tito Merelli, “Il Stupendo,” is to perform his greatest role, Otello, at the ten-year anniversary gala season opener. https://www.bard.org/study-guides/synopsis-lend-me-a-tenor-the-musical

1992 - 1993 Season Brochure, Otterbein University Department Of Theatre And Dance

Theatre and Dance Annual Brochures

Annual promotional piece of the upcoming season's shows.

The Passion Of Dracula, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1992 Summer Theatre

Play follows Jonathan Harker, Dr. Seward and Professor Van Helsing on their quest to save the beautiful Wilhelmina from the clutches of a smart and sexy Count Dracula. https://www.theatreinchicago.com/the-passion-of-dracula/2786/

The Heidi Chronicles, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1992 Summer Theatre

The plot follows Heidi Holland from high school in the 1960s to her career as a successful art historian more than twenty years later. The play's main themes deal with the changing role of women during this time period, describing both Heidi's ardent feminism during the 1970s and her eventual sense of betrayal during the 1980s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heidi_Chronicles

Play It Again, Sam, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1992 Summer Theatre

The play is about a recently divorced film magazine writer, Allan Felix, who is trying to restart his romantic life. Eventually he falls in love (and has a brief affair) with Linda, the wife of his best friend, Dick. During the course of the play, he repeatedly seeks advice from the ghost of his idol, Humphrey Bogart, but eventually decides that he needs to be himself rather than imitating Bogart. Telling Linda that the right thing for her to do is to return to her husband, Felix quotes the famous lines that Bogart delivers to Ingrid Bergman in the last …

Talking With..., Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1991-1992 Season

The play is composed of eleven ten-minute monologues, each featuring a different woman who talks about her life. The play includes the pieces, "Fifteen Minutes," "Scraps," "Clear Glass Marbles," "Audition," "Rodeo," "Twirler," "Lamps," "Handler," "Dragons," "French Fries," and "Marks."

The play deals with the personal ordeals of each of the female characters. Many of them are very touching; a few are even intensely emotional. However, there is also the very comical. Even the funny ones, however, have an underlying depth to them that gives a sensitive insight into each of the characters involved.The ladies cover a wide spectrum of life …

Into The Woods, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1991-1992 Season

Into the Woods is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Griimm and Charles Perrault fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. The main characters are taken from "Little Red Riding Hood,", "Jack and the Beanstalk", "Rapunzel", and "Cinderella", as well as several others. The musical is tied together by a story involving a childless baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family (the original beginning of The Grimm Brothers' Rapunzel), their interaction with a witch who has …

The Tempest, Otterbein University Theatre And Dance Department

1991-1992 Season

The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–1611, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where the sorcerer Prospero, rightful Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place using illusion and skillful manipulation. He conjures up a storm, the eponymous tempest, to cause his usurping brother Antonio and the complicit King Alonso of Naples to believe they are shipwrecked and marooned on the island. There, his machinations bring about the revelation of Antonio's …