The 2022-23 Mainstage Season featured performances of "Right to be Forgotten," "Carrie: The Musical," "Celebration of Dance," "The Skriker," Dance Now!, "Measure for Measure," "Bright Star," and Showcase of Dance.
Right to be Forgotten
by Sharyn RothsteinSept. 22 – Oct. 2, 2022
Gladys G. Davis Theatre
Directed by Irene Alby
The Internet never forgets. A young man’s mistake at 17 haunts him online a decade later. Desperate for a normal life, he goes to extraordinary lengths to erase his indiscretion. But freedom of information is big business, and the tech companies aren’t going down without a fight. Secrets, lies and political backstabbing abound in this new drama about one man’s fierce battle to reclaim his right to privacy.
Inclusivity Statement: The play is written by a female playwright and lends itself well to diverse and inclusive casting. The issues within reflect a myriad of contemporary topics including freedom of information, the #MeToo movement and the rights of the individual versus the rights of corporations and large tech companies in the age of social media.
Rated PG-13 due to language and adult situations.
Carrie: The Musical
book by Lawrence D. Cohen
lyrics by Dean Pitchford
music by Michael Gore
Adapted from the novel Carrie by Stephen King
October 20 – 23, 2022
Metropolitan Theatre
Directed by Lee Blair
Carrie: The Musical follows a young woman with telekinetic powers. An outcast at school, where she is bullied viciously for her differences, Carrie is also lost at home, with a fervently religious mother whose love traps her in its maw. When PE teacher Miss Gardner, kind classmate Sue Snell, and boyfriend Tommy Ross reach out to try and help Carrie, it seems that for once, Carrie might have a shot at being accepted. But Chris Hargensen, the class’s most vicious bully, has other ideas. Pushed to the brink, Carrie’s powers threaten to overwhelm her, and devour everyone around her in flame.
Inclusivity Statement: Carrie: The Musical, at its core, is a story about bullying and parental abuse. Carrie's upbringing, in particular her mother's religious fervor, contributes to trauma which severely impacts her social network. Abuse, bullying, loneliness – unfortunately, all too common in the world around us- are universal themes. The musical also allows for diverse and inclusive casting.
Rated PG-13 due to language and adult situations. Not intended for young audiences.
Celebration of Dance
November 3 – 5, 2022
Falbo Theatre
Celebration of Dance is the first of three annual dance concerts presented by the School of Theatre and Dance. This fall concert features original work by student choreographers in the Dance program. The program promises a range of styles in movement and music, addressing various social and cultural topics as well as sheer physical energy and entertainment.
The Skriker
by Caryl Churchill
Nov. 17 – 18 & Nov. 29 – Dec. 4, 2022
Gladys. G. Davis Theatre
Directed by Rhadica Ganapathy
Ancient and damaged, a mythological creature known as Skriker emerges from the underworld in pursuit of two young mothers named Josie and Lily. The Skriker utilizes various disguises to manipulate and ultimately entrap them. Josie goes to the underworld first in what appears to be for a brief period, but the Skriker’s magic twists her understanding and ultimately her fate. Lily follows a similar path but meets an even darker end. Blending ancient folklore and contemporary settings, Churchill's play also draws attention to issues of destruction that plague the environment.
Inclusivity Statement: The female body is central to this narrative with its portrayals of non-traditional perceptions of motherhood - an important commentary in the on-going Roe v. Wade debate. There are no specific race/ethnicity requirements to bring together this complex thought provoking play.
Dance Now!
Lyell B. Clay Theatre
February 2 – 4, 2023
Artistic Director: Yoav Kaddar
Dance Now! is the annual concert presented by the Dance Program in the School of Theatre & Dance here at West Virginia University.
Measure for Measure
by William Shakespeare
March 9 – 10 & March 21 – 26, 2023
Gladys. G. Davis Theatre
Directed by Jerry McGonigle
Angelo is left in charge by the Duke, who pretends to leave town but instead dresses as a friar to observe the goings-on in his absence. Angelo is unwavering in his decision-making; he decides that there is too much freedom in Vienna and takes it upon himself to rid the city of unlawful sexual activity. Laws against these behaviors and institutions already exist, and Angelo simply decides to enforce them more strictly.
Bright Star
written and composed by Steve Martin & Edie Brickell
April 20 – 23, 2023
Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre
Directed by Ryan Scoble
Bright Star is the story of one woman at two different points in her life: the first, when she is a wild young thing growing up barefoot and carefree in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina; the second, when she is a well-to-do magazine editor in Asheville, 22 years later. Alice is hopelessly in love with small town heartthrob Jimmy Ray, the mayor’s son. Although their love was pure, it falls victim to the interference of ambitious parents.
Showcase of Dance
April 27 – 29, 2023
Antoinette Falbo Theatre
Annual spring performance by the WVU Dance Program, produced by the class of 2023.
