Washburn Will Present Two Plays this Fall Semester

This fall the theater department has planned to produce two plays: “Two Sisters and a Piano” and “Scapin”.

The first play running this semester is, “Two sisters and a Piano”, and is described by Paul Prece, theatre department chair, as “a political drama by Cuban American playwright Nilo Cruz. Two sisters, one a pianist, the other a writer under house arrest in Cuba, 1990, grapple with issues of political and individual freedom.” The show will run at 7:30 p.m. September 1,2,3,9, and 10 in the Andrew J. and Georgia Neese Gray Theatre.  There will also be a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on September 11.

The second, “Scapin” is a comedy. It was summated by Prece as being “A classic style comedy influenced by the commedia del’art in which Moliere acted prior to becoming a writer of plays. Misunderstanding and mismatches are prompted and solved through the intervention of Scapin a mischievous servant.” Running dates are September 4, 5, 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m, also in the Andrew J. and Georgia Neese Gray Theatre. There will be no matinee performance.

In seasons past the theatre department has presented recognizable titles such as “Through the Looking Glass,” “Antigone,” “Company,” and “Rent.”  They also use plays written by local playwrights including pieces from students and faculty.

When asked what the value of theater is Associate professor Penelope Weiner shared that she found it to be “Free (or cheap) live entertainment. A chance to sit in a room with a bunch of other people and form opinions – get engaged! It’s better than texting!”  Additionally she stated that to her personally theater is ” the most personal and implicitly political art there is.”