“Romeo and Juliet” and “Cabaret” highlight 2019-20 University Theatre season
August 23, 2019
The 2019-20 YSU University Theatre season, highlighted by productions of “Romeo and Juliet” and “Cabaret,” will open Friday, September 27 with “Speech & Debate.”
The season, running from September 2019 to April 2020, will also include the annual YSU Dance Ensemble Concert, fall and spring cabaret performances, and two free productions featuring works created by YSU students. It is the 56th season of University Theatre productions.
Season subscriptions are available for purchase by calling 330-941-3105. The price is $60 for adults, and discounts are available for members of the YSU Alumni Society, Penguin Club, and Regional Chamber; YSU faculty, staff, and retirees; and non-YSU students. University Theatre performances are free for YSU students. Each ticketed event will also offer one-time admittance purchases for a variable fee.
The season will open with the production of “Speech & Debate,” a play that follows three teenage misfits as they discover they are linked by a sex scandal that has rocked their town. The production will be held September 27 – 29 and October 4 – 6 in the Spotlight Theater, located in Bliss Hall. Friday and Saturday performances will begin at 7:30 PM, and the Sunday matinee performances will begin at 2:00 PM. This production contains strong language and adult themes.
The season will continue with University Theatre’s production of “Cabaret,” a musical that explores the dark, tumultuous life of Berlin’s natives in the late 1920s as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. The musical will be held November 15 – 17 and 22 – 24 in the YSU Ford Theater, located in Bliss Hall. Friday and Saturday performances will begin at 7:30 PM, with the Sunday matinee performances beginning at 2:00 PM
University Theatre will conclude its fall semester with the Ten-Minute Plays event, where students explore the foundations of storytelling and develop skills in working with actors on exciting and innovative scripts. The event will be held Sunday, December 8 at 7:00 PM in the Spotlight Theater. Entry to the event is free, and reservations are not taken in advance.
University Theatre’s spring season will open with the Dance Ensemble Concert, held February 27 – 29, 2020 in the YSU Ford Theater. The concert will showcase student, faculty, and guest choreography in a variety of genres.
Following the concert, the third annual Festival of New Works will be held March 6 and 7 at 7:00 PM in the Spotlight Theater. The event highlights and honors student creativity in playwriting, choreography, designing, filmmaking, directing, and acting. Admission to the event is free and reservations are not taken in advance.
“Romeo and Juliet,” the singular play of the spring semester, will be open April 3 – 5 and 8, 10, and 11 in the YSU Ford Theater. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday performances will begin at 7:30 PM, with the Sunday matinee performance beginning at 2:00 PM. The play, one of William Shakespeare’s classics, tells the story of young love, revenge, and tragedy.
The following additional shows are not included in the University Theatre season subscription price, and are separate fundraisers benefitting Musical Theatre program initiatives:
University Theatre’s fall cabaret, “Heavy Hitters,” is a one-night-only event that will feature showstopping numbers from the musical theatre canon. The event will be held October 18 at 7:00 PM at the Eleanor Beecher Flad Pavilion, located in the DeYor Performing Arts Center.
The spring cabaret, “A Kiss to Build a Dream On,” will also be held in the Eleanor Beecher Flad Pavilion Friday, February 14 at 7:00 PM. This Valentine’s Day event will feature jazz favorites from the “Great American Songbook.”