Palm Beach Atlantic University

Our Season
CURRENT PRODUCTIONS 2011

For Ticket Information please call Ticket Central at (561) 803-2970. 

Drowsy Chaperone
Book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar; music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison

$15 general admission or two tickets for $25; $10 for seniors 65 and over; $5 for students, faculty and staff with I.D. Call Tickert Central at (561) 803-2970 or e-mail ticketcentral@pba.edu
 

SELECTED PAST SHOWS

Exit the King
By Eugene Ionesco

Directed by Professor Robert Homer-Drummond

She Loves Me
Book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and music by Jerry Bock

In this fanciful tale for the Winter season, Shakespeare draws us through “unpathed waters and undreamed shores” into marvelous adventures that include a shipwreck, a ravenous bear and a lost princess. He leaves us with the possibility of redemption, but only after faith has been fully tested.  The result is a magical meditation on the nature of true love.
 

Nunsense
By Dan Goggin

Five quirky nuns stage a variety show to raise money for the burials of their dearly departed sisters. An international phenomenon with more than 5,000 productions worldwide, Nunsense features comic surprises, star turns, tap and ballet dancing, and even an audience quiz!
 

The Imaginary Invalid
By Moliere

Vera Lee Rinker Recital Hall
Directed by Professor Robert Homer-Drummond

Molière's last play, a sparkling satire on the medical profession written, ironically, in the final days of the playwright's life. Doctors and patients alike come under scrutiny when Argan, the hypochondriac, decides that his daughter must marry a physician so that he will always have a doctor around.

Uncle Vanya
By Anton Chekhov

Weyenburg Hall
Directed by Professor Don Butler

Chekhov's tragicomic masterpiece of yearning and regret is set on a provincial Russian estate, where little disturbs the inhabitants' quiet lives until the head of the family brings home his beautiful new wife. At times heartbreaking and hilarious.
 

South Pacific
By Rodgers and Hammerstein

Chapel by the Lake Amphitheatre of FBC
Directed by Professor Don Butler

Although well known for its extraordinary score -- the songs include Some Enchanted Evening, Younger Than Springtime, Bali Hai, There Is Nothin' Like A Dame, and A Wonderful Guy -- South Pacific is also a deeply felt drama. Its portrayal of Americans stationed in an alien culture in wartime is as relevant today as when it first thrilled audiences in 1949.
 

The Dining Room
By A. R. Gurney

The play is set in the dining room of a typical well-to-do household, the place where the family assembled daily for breakfast and dinner and for any and all special occasions. The action is comprised of a mosaic of interrelated scenes—some funny, some touching, some rueful—which, taken together, create an in-depth portrait of a vanishing species: the upper-middle-class WASP. The actors change roles, personalities and ages with virtuoso skill as they portray a wide variety of characters, from little boys to stern grandfathers, and from giggling teenage girls to Irish housemaids. Each vignette introduces a new set of people and events; a father lectures his son on grammar and politics; a boy returns from boarding school to discover his mother's infidelity; a senile grandmother doesn't recognize her own sons at Christmas dinner; a daughter, her marriage a shambles, pleads futilely to return home, etc. Dovetailing swiftly and smoothly, the varied scenes coalesce, ultimately, into a theatrical experience of exceptional range, compassionate humor and abundant humanity.
 

Man of La Mancha
Written by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion

Based on “The Adventures of Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes, “Man of La Mancha” is the classic comic tragedy of man’s struggle against all odds. The epic tale, set during the Spanish Inquisition, tells the romantic and noble journey of a knight-errant (Don Quixote) who, along with his servant Sancho, sets out to right all wrongs and win the heart of a good woman (Aldonza).

“This story is a call to each of us to make the world a better place than we found it, attempting things that have never been done before,” said Don Butler, assistant professor of theatre and director of the production.
 

Student-Directed One-Act Festival

A fresh, fast and fun featuring works by American playwrights.

The performances on February 14 and 16 at 8 p.m. will feature “Boy Meets Girl” by Wendy Wasserstein, “The Most Massive Woman Wins” by Madeline George, “The Unerring Instinct” by Thornton Wilder and “The Last Yankee” by Arthur Miller.

The performances on February 15 at 8 p.m. and February 16 at 2 p.m. will feature several works by David Ives including “Long Ago and Far Away,” “ Dr. Fritz, Or: The Forces of Light” and “ The Universal Language.” Other featured acts will include “Tender Offer” by Wendy Wasserstein and “The One-Armed Man” by Horton Foote.

Palm Beach Atlantic University students enrolled in Directing II chose from a list of 20 American playwrights. Each act will run about 20 minutes and will have a cast of no more than five actors. The students will direct the plays under the supervision of Robert Homer-Drummond, assistant professor of theatre at the University.

A uniform set will be used for the festival and will contain different moveable components such as: a table, two chairs, a doorway, a fireplace and certain other moveable components that may be placed in various configurations. Each director has a budget of $100, which is used for props, décor and royalties.
 

The Tempest

Shakespeare's last known play, "The Tempest," tells the story of Prospero, Duke of Milan, and his daughter, Miranda, who are marooned on a magic island. It's a tale of tragic betrayal and revenge, complete with spirits, witches and terrible sea storms.
 

Dearly Departed

"Dearly Departed" takes place in the backwoods of the Bible belt, where a Baptist family proves planning a funeral can be drop-dead funny. For this Family-Weekend production, our wonderful PBA actors and singers are joined by the local "Hot Java Band" for an evening of great story-telling and Southern gospel music.
 

Into The Woods

"Into the Woods" is the retelling of Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hoof and The Baker and His Wife, blended into an original story about a childless baker and his wife. They desperately want to have children but must remove the curse that stands in their way. Once that is accomplished, they can all live happily ever after...or so they think!