Cast and crew involved in the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance (MTD) production of “The Trojan Women” have won the distinctive honor of being selected to perform during the Region III American College Theatre Festival in Saginaw next month.
Given that festival organizers considered entries hailing from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, selection of “The Trojan Women” is seen as a feather in the cap of the growing MTD program. The cast will give three performances on Friday, Jan. 9, in Saginaw Valley State University’s studio theatre.
Director Karen Sheridan said participation in the festival serves not only as a great compliment to the cast and crew, but also as a rare opportunity for MTD students to perform before theater experts from across the country.
“Just being at the festival and allowed to present your work means that you’ll get feedback from all these wonderful people,” she explained. “It’s a terrific festival because there are a lot of sponsorships that allow students to go to the festival and try to win scholarships and awards that will further their education in the arts.”
In addition to group recognition, the MTD production of “The Trojan Women” includes several Individual students who have attracted attention for their work in design and technology, theater critique and playwriting.
A work by Euripides, “The Trojan Women” chronicles the struggle of women in the aftermath of war that has destroyed their homeland of Troy.
MTD produced a version of the play developed by Playwright Ellen McLaughlin, who originally tailored text of the play for a staged reading by immigrants from the siege of Sarajevo for the Balkan Theater Project in 1996. She later reworked the text to suit a full production at Fordham University.
The upcoming festival is one of eight regional events sponsored by the Kennedy Center. Outstanding performances from each will garner invitations to participate in a national festival in April.
Given that organizers of the American College Theatre Region III Festival considered entries hailing from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, the cast and crew's selection to perform is seen as a feather in the cap of the growing Department of Music, Theatre and Dance program.
Created by David Groves (groves@oakland.edu) on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 Modified by David Groves (groves@oakland.edu) on Monday, January 5, 2009 Article Start Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2008
