UCI preparing season of unfamiliar plays

Tom Titus

With the exception of the season-opening “Cabaret,” playgoers taking

in the 2004-05 theater season at UC Irvine invariably will find

themselves in unfamiliar territory. Even the Shakespearean entry is

one most playgoers likely will be visiting for the first time.

The season comprises two schedules -- one in the spacious Claire

Trevor Theater, the other in various venues around the Irvine campus.

Each lineup will offer four productions.

“Cabaret,” which UCI first staged early in the school’s history

nearly four decades ago, will inaugurate the new schedule, running

from Nov. 12 to 20 in the Trevor Theater. Valerie Rachelle will

direct the John Kander-Fred Ebb musical, set in Berlin as the Nazis

were rising to power and focused on the musical decadence of the

infamous Kit Kat Klub.

Pulitzer Prize-winner August Wilson’s “Seven Guitars” is the

second production, also in the Trevor Theater. It’s set in 1948

Pittsburgh and focuses on the death of a local blues guitarist on the

edge of stardom. Eli Simon will direct, and performances are

scheduled from Jan. 28 to Feb. 5.

The Shakespeare project, slated for April 22 to 30 in the Winifred

Smith Hall, is “Timon,” described as the Bard’s “wildest and most

experimental play.” Director Robert Cohen will stage this epic of

luxurious excess, corrupted friendships and political betrayal --

based on Shakespeare’s “Timon of Athens” -- in contemporary times.

An all-undergraduate musical, yet to be announced, will fill the

June 3 to 11 slot under the direction of Myrona DeLaney and will

occupy the Claire Trevor Theater.

“Every year, we conclude our season with a production performed by

our talented undergraduate students,” DeLaney said. “We are currently

negotiating this final selection and will announce it soon.”

The above selections constitute the more ambitious half of the UCI

slate. Four other shows, to be presented on other campus stages,

comprise the Stage 2 season.

Leading off this section will be a classical work, “Agamemnon” by

Aeschylus, the classic tragedy set after the fall of Troy. Magdalena

Zira is directing the show, which will be seen only from Dec. 2 to 4

in the Humanities Hall Theater.

“The Arabian Nights,” a fabled tale of love, lust, humor and

dreams adapted by Mary Zimmerman, will be presented from Feb. 3 to 12

in the university’s Studio Theater. Annie Loui is directing this

story of Scheherezade and her 1,001 nights.

Finally, UCI will turn the spotlight to 1989 Romania and the fall

of Nicolae Ceausescu’s dictatorship with “Mad Forest” by Caryl

Churchill. This chaotic drama will unfold from March 10 to 19 in the

Studio Theater under the direction of Krista Cowan.

Season tickets are available and reservations, along with

additional information, may be obtained by calling the UCI arts box

office at (949) 824-2787.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Fridays.