A Letter from the Interim Director of the School of Theater

It is with great excitement and anticipation that I welcome you to the new 2019-2020 academic year and season of Theater at Mason!

I have some big shoes to fill. Ken Elston, who served as Director of our program for many years, grew our School of Theater into what it is today, with its many opportunities for students and audiences alike. Ken received an offer a few months ago to serve as Assistant Dean at High Point University in North Carolina, an assignment that starts with this current semester. Ken, and our Dean of CVPA Rick Davis, asked me to step in as Interim Director to continue Ken’s fine work while we conduct a national search for his permanent replacement.

Fortunately, I have been working closely with Ken all these years, so the learning curve, while significant, has not been overwhelming. I am excited to work with our students, our Friends of Theater, and our patrons in this new capacity throughout this season.

The year will be exciting, the work compelling, and the adventures just beginning. I look forward to seeing you at the Theater!

First Up! The Mason Players Originals!

We begin the season with one of the more unique approaches to performance and presentation, the Mason Players Originals! This year’s lineup of student-written work will include nine offerings, no more than ten-minutes in length each, that will be presented as a theatrical event on September 13 & 14 in TheaterSpace. Ten-Minute plays, devised theater, and a one-person show will be part of the evening (or afternoon) of theater, with each piece working as a team of writer, director, stage manager, dramaturg, and cast, and each rehearsing throughout a ten-day period, simultaneously, in every nook and cranny rehearsal space we can provide. Involving scores of students, under the supervision of faculty members Mary Lechter and Kevin Murray along with a team of alumni mentors, you will be sure to see a different side of our students’ talents, and no doubt a small army of fresh faces.

The Mason Players Originals!
September 13 & 14 at 8pm, Sept 14 at 2pm, in TheaterSpace
Tickets are Pay What You Can (in $5 increments)

The line-up (in no particular order):

Ten-Minute Plays:

  • Nighthawk/The Singing Butler by Kat Amato & Ian Dickenson - Three brief plays inspired by well-known paintings.
  • After Party by J. D. Clark - Drama, a late-night encounter among three college friends.
  • Personification: The Ten-Minute Ukulele Musical by Em German - Four original songs sung by a cast of 4, accompanied by Em on ukulele.
  • Clean Up on Aisle Seven by Albee Horowitz - Comedy, a 7-11 robbery gone wrong, with audience participation.
  • Inner Child by Christian Jost
  • Drama, a young couple’s turbulent relationship is reflected in the manifestation of their younger selves.        
  • Whispers Beneath the Waves by Sage Munson - A swashbuckling period drama with a dash of fantasy tossed in.

Devised Works:

  • Murderer? I Hardly Know Her! by Rachel Dixon and Claire Gardner - Join your favorite comedy duo as they embark on this Murder-Mystery-Choose-Your-Own-Adventure journey that you, yes YOU! get to create for them!  
  • Secret Identities by Erin Cleary, Erin Pugh, & Jackson Schombert
  • Comedy, three actors entertain at children’s parties as heroes and princesses, but not very well. When an evil competitor threatens their livelihoods, they have no choice. Time to suit up!

One-Person Show:

Heart of Stone by Julie Kashmanian - Medusa is an agoraphobic, who has no choice but to work from home. How else can she make a living, except as a phone sex operator?