TheatreFEST returns with a BANG this summer as we move to be Raleigh’s hub for summer theatre by connecting makers, companies, educators, and patrons to celebrate and advance live theatre in Raleigh. With dozens of theatrical experiences centered around the production of Assassins, TheatreFEST has something for everyone! Click on the various buttons below to discover how you can participate.
Book by John Weidman | Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim | Based on an Idea by charles Gilbert Jr.
Directed by Danica Jackson | Musical Direction by Diane Petteway
Produced by special arrangement with Music Theatre International
Stephen Sondheim and John Weidmans’ controversial musical, Assassins, scrutinizes the lives and motivations of nine individuals who killed (or tried to kill) various presidents of the United States. This multiple Tony Award-winning, dark comedy, explores the human need for acknowledgment versus the American need for celebrity, amplified by the frustrated desires of those who crossed a terrifying threshold.
Show Times:
7:30pm Nightly | June 2-4, 9-11, 16-18
2:00pm Matinees | June 5, 12, 19
Closed Captioning:
Each performance will provide closed captioning.
Audio Description:
Available upon request. Call 919.515.3927 or send an email to universitytheatre@ncsu.edu.
Themes:
Connection, Disaffection, Validation
Content Warnings:
Gun Violence, Murder, Suicide, Adult Language, Use of non-firing Prop Guns
Experience theatre being made in real time. Participants may chose any or all of the three tracks below for a guided insight into the process of brining Assassins to the stage.
Mia Self will sneak you into the rehearsal hall for a glimpse of a live rehearsal of Assassins. You will spend twenty-minutes observing director Danica Jackson and the cast working on brining the show to life. Participants will then move to the Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre for a 30-minute interactive discussion with Mia about the process of rehearsals and making Theatre.
The creative team invites you one-hour intimate show-and-tell conversation about creating the world of Assassins. Led by Mia Self, participants will be able to see the scenic, costume, and lighting designers’ work early concepts, sketches and research, ask questions about the process, and talk about how theatre is made.
The tech rehearsal is when all the pieces come together for the first time. Join Mia Self and program director Joshua Reaves for a glimpse into how the magic is made. Participants will watch 20-minutes of a technical rehearsal where they will see the lighting, sound, and props be used for the first time. Mia and Josh will then lead participants into the Kennedy-McIlwee Studio theatre for an in-depth 30-minute conversation about what they just witnessed and the process adding all elements to a show.
| Rehearsal Track | Design Track | Backstage Track | |
| May 8, 2022 | May 20, 2022 | May 27, 2022 | |
| 3pm-4pm | 7pm-8pm | 8pm-9pm |
Limited to 12 participants per track/event
Join UT’s Mia Self, local theatre journalists, and select members of the creative team for a casual, one-hour pre-show conversation about Assassin’s history, structure, themes, and its relevance today. This experience includes a ticket to Assassins.
June 4, 12, and 17 | 6pm-7pm
Limited to 12 tickets per night.
Ever walked away from a show wanting to know more about it? Join Mia Self, who, together with a small group of audience members, will chat with director Danica Jackson and select actors from the cast in an intimate, one-hour post-show discussion. This experience includes a ticket to Assassins.
June 4, 12, and 17 | following the performance
Limited to 12 tickets per night.
Given only a prompt and 24-hours total prep time, four writers, directors, casts and production teams write, rehearse, produce and perform four plays, culminating in an evening of 10-minute plays.
Playwright, director, and actor interest signup coming soon.
June 18 | 8pm
Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre
Honest Pint Theatre Company is excited to present the first “workshop offering” of a new work-in-progress. Playwright and North Carolina Piedmont Laureate Tamara Kissane and composer/lyricist Matthew Hager have written this new offering of musical theatre based on the the legend of Franz Kafka and the Doll story. Get a glimpse of a diverse cast of talented actors and musicians develop a new musical work, directed by UT’s Mia Self, and be among the first to preview snippets of the show, all leading up to a full-scale production in 2023
Show Times:
7:00 pm | June 10 & 11
2:00 pm | June 11
Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre
In this first public staging of a new one-woman show, emerging artist and NCSU alumni Dani Coan shares her coming of age story exploring themes of sexuality, family, anorexia, and self-love.
Show Times:
6:30 pm |Â June 17
Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre
Themes:
Sexuality, family, eating disorders, self-love, and storytelling
Content Warnings:
Eating disorders and addiction
TheatreFESTival is a casual open house experience inviting the audience backstage to see the magic behind live performance. Choose from a long list of ongoing experiences creating your custom event. Drop in for an interview with the actors, head backstage for a guided tour of the sets, or join our designers to learn more about their process. Local theatre companies will be onsite with information on their upcoming seasons and giveaways!
June 11 | 1-4pm
Frank Thompson Hall
This program is funded in part by the City of Raleigh based on recommendations of the Raleigh Arts Commission.
TheatreFEST est financiado en parte por la Ciudad de Raleigh basado en recomendaciones de la Comision de Artes de Raleigh.