A Festival of world premiere one-act plays, Muhlenberg’s ‘New Voices’ spotlights talent of emerging playwrights
From the creative minds of three emerging playwrights comes Muhlenberg College’s “New Voices,” an evening of theater featuring three short plays. “New Voices” runs Sept. 30 – Oct. 4 on the Studio Theatre stage.
Thursday, September 10, 2015 09:27 AM
“It has been very exciting to share the process that all the artists have been hard at work generating for months to prepare for rehearsals,” says Beth Schachter, the chair of Muhlenberg’s Department of Theatre and Dance and the evening’s artistic director. “Audience members will be getting more than their money’s worth by joining us for the three short plays.”
In the provocative and timely “Death of a Sun,” by Claire Waggoner ’16, a mother and daughter watch the sun die out in the distant future. As they share the brief time they have left together, they examine what’s truly important and speculate about what might come next. Ariel Holman ’16 directs.
“My Short Shitty Life” by Nikk Tetreault ’18, explores humanity through a series of absurd comedic vignettes. The play follows a large group of friends through loves lost and friendships regained. Sydney Watt ’18 directs.
“Three Bedroom” by Lauren Waters ’15, follows a tumultuous night in the lives of four young women in their early twenties as they ride the roller coaster of New York City life and try to navigate their way to adulthood. Danielle Lichter ’16 directs.
The New Voices Playwrights’ Festival is presented every other year as a part of the Muhlenberg Theatre & Dance Mainstage season. The festival provides up-and-coming young playwrights the opportunity to showcase their work in a collaborative and intimate environment. It also offers a rare opportunity for audiences to see the work of the next generation of emerging theater artists.
“I think it is fantastic the department gives students the opportunity to showcase their work in the New Voices Festival,” Tetreault says. “The education and experience I’ve had so far with this project makes me want to continue to collaborate and develop new works at Muhlenberg and beyond.”
Muhlenberg College is a liberal arts college of more than 2,200 students in Allentown, PA. The college offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in theater and dance. The Princeton Review has ranked Muhlenberg’s theater program as the top twelve in the nation for the past seven years, and Fiske Guide to Colleges lists both the theater and dance programs among the top small college programs in the United States. Muhlenberg is one of only eight colleges to be listed in Fiske for both theater and dance.
Performances of “New Voices” are Sept. 30- Oct. 4: Wednesday through Friday, Sept. 30-Oct. 2, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 3, at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for students. Performances are in the Studio Theatre in Trexler Pavilion for Theatre and Dance at Muhlenberg College, 2400 Chew St., Allentown. For mature audiences.
Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg is a highly selective, private, four-year residential college located in Allentown, Pa., approximately 90 miles west of New York City. With an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 2200 students, Muhlenberg College is dedicated to shaping creative, compassionate, collaborative leaders through rigorous academic programs in the arts, sciences, business, education and public health. A member of the Centennial Conference, Muhlenberg competes in 22 varsity sports. Muhlenberg is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
