The University Playhouse debuts its first play of the season, “In the West,” that features Texans as portrayed by famous photographer Richard Avedon. The show will open Thursday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center.
The play is comprised of 18 monologues in which the cast members portray the stereotypical people Avedon would have taken photographs of in his famous series titled “In the American West.”
“The play is about Texans. The people we know, the people we see on the street and wonder about, the people we love and the people that drive us crazy. I thought it would be very appealing to audience members about Texans. It’s very funny, very touching and very heart-wrenching,” Assistant Professor of Theater and director of “In the West,” Dr. Carrie Klypchak said,
“In the American West” was commissioned by the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas; an undertaking that took Avedon six years and resulted in 125 portraits. Miners, oil field workers, drifters, and teenagers against a stark white background characterize Avedon’s photographs.
For additional entertainment, the Lou Ann Petty Band is providing pre-show and production music. This local band is providing Texan music for free as a service to the community.
In conjunction with the play performance, theater enthusiasts will enjoy a complimentary exhibit by the Third Floor Photo Society showing Avedon-style portraits of each the cast member. There will be a gallery opening Oct. 4 from 7-8 p.m. before the show debuts in the Performing Arts Center. Audience members are encouraged to arrive at least 30 minutes before performance time to view the exhibit.
“I think it’s a fabulous step to integrating inter-disciplines,” Klypchak said.
“I went and saw the exhibit at the Amon Carter and it was very impressive. The environment was very sterile, but the people’s personalities were great. He captured those awkward in-between moments, and he chose the right moment to take the picture,” Alex Piper, one of three photography majors who photographed cast members, said.
The photographers shot actors while doing their monologues and also had them pose in similar fashion to Avedon’s photographs.
“I was skeptical at first, but as we started shooting I noticed how detailed they could get the photos. I said to myself, ‘WOW!’ These shots are great and the cameraman really knows how to summarize the characters as a whole, with just one intricate shot. It’s Amazing.” Chad Pope, who plays a street preacher in the play, said.
Because the play is composed of monologues, instead of interaction characters, it is definitely different from what most of the cast members have done before.
“I really like the fact that the play is all monologues, because then the director can do more individual work with the actor. When you are in a big show there are always questions about your character that the director usually doesn’t have time to help you answer because there are so many other people with questions of their own,” Sara Ragsdale, one of the actors, said.
“I have never done a monologue show before and I like it. The order in which the monologues are performed is arranged in such a way that I think the audience will be constantly entertained and caught off-guard,” Kristi Smith, a cast member, said.
Theater enthusiasts will have eight chances to see “In the West.” Performance dates and times include:
Oct. 4-6 and 11-14 at 8 p.m.
Oct. 7 and 14 at 3 p.m.
For tickets call the box office at 903-886-5900.