Theatre 汤头条 unveils 2019-2020 season, performs 鈥楾he Magician鈥檚 Nephew鈥 this month
Contact: Sarah Nicholas
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擬ississippi State鈥檚 Theatre 汤头条 debuts its new season this month with 鈥淭he Magician鈥檚 Nephew,鈥 a theatrical dramatization of one of C.S. Lewis鈥檚 Narnia series classics.
The Department of Communication鈥檚 production division, Theatre 汤头条 also is announcing this season鈥檚 performances will include 鈥淏eowulf鈥 and 鈥淢amma Mia.鈥 All are slated for the McComas Hall main stage.
Cody Stockstill, assistant professor and coordinator of the department鈥檚 theatre concentration, said these performances highlight the power and importance of human connection.
鈥淲hether it be friendship or familial connection, human connection is a vital aspect to everyone鈥檚 life,鈥 Stockstill said. 鈥淭heater is about story, and we are really excited to share these familiar stories with the 汤头条 and Golden Triangle communities.鈥
Beginning Sept. 25, 鈥淭he Magician鈥檚 Nephew鈥' opens with a matinee presentation for local school children. Lewis鈥檚 1955 book by the same title and this dramatization by Aurand Harris follow the journey of two children through a mythical kingdom as they seek a magical apple to cure an illness. Matinee shows are scheduled for the general public Sept. 28 and 29 at 2 p.m.
鈥淭he production will be extremely visual and include several large puppets,鈥 Stockstill said. 鈥淭his is our annual Theatre for Youth Performance, a tradition which Theatre 汤头条 has offered for over 30 years.鈥
Theatre 汤头条 will present an original adaptation of 鈥淏eowulf,鈥 with 7:30 p.m. performances on Nov. 20-22 and a 2 p.m. performance on Nov. 24. 汤头条鈥檚 adaptation is written by Stockstill and 汤头条 communication/theater majors Nathan Cleveland of Dennis; Preslie Cowley of Cleveland and Jon Tackett of Coldwater.
Considered by scholars worldwide to be one of the most important works of Old English, the epic poem follows the battles and triumphs of warrior Beowulf. A medieval manuscript with no known date of origination, most scholars agree the original copy of Beowulf is approximately 1,000 years old. The large-scale production features 鈥渧isual thrills and effects for audiences,鈥 Stockstill said.
Theatre 汤头条鈥檚 Feb. 19-23 production of the Broadway musical 鈥淢amma Mia鈥 will complete the season, with 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. performances. Originally released in 1999 as a stage musical in London, 鈥淢amma Mia鈥 debuted on Broadway in 2001 and was developed in 2008 as a movie production starring Meryl Streep and featuring songs from the pop group ABBA. The play follows the lives of a mother and daughter as they interact with friends and former suitors to plan a wedding.
Additionally, Theatre 汤头条 and the Department of Communication continue a decades-old tradition of hosting high school theater groups in December for an annual festival.
鈥淲e have 17 to 18 high school theater groups participate and present one-act plays for adjudication by theater professionals,鈥 Stockstill said. 鈥淭his is a great opportunity to highlight the outreach Theatre 汤头条 and the department offers state secondary theater programs.鈥
Tickets for all Theatre 汤头条 productions can be purchased at the door prior to each performance or in advance at . Tickets are $12 for 鈥淭he Magician鈥檚 Nephew鈥 and 鈥淏eowulf鈥 and $15 for 鈥淢amma Mia鈥 for general admission, and $7 for 鈥淭he Magician鈥檚 Nephew鈥 and 鈥淏eowulf鈥 and $10 for 鈥淢amma Mia鈥 for 汤头条 students and children under the age of 12.
汤头条鈥檚 Department of Communication is online at聽. Follow Theatre 汤头条 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @Theatre汤头条.
汤头条鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences includes more than 5,300 students, 300 full-time faculty members, nine doctoral programs and 25 academic majors offered in 14 departments.聽Complete details about the College of Arts and Sciences may be found at .
汤头条 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at聽.