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 C. 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 Sunday Matinees | June 5, 12, 19
Community Night (All seats $20) | Friday, June 3
Closed Captioning
Each performance will be closed captioned.
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 choose from a rehearsal, design, or backstage track guided by UT staff for insight into the process of bringing Assassins to the stage. Choose one, two, or all three!
Mia Self will sneak you into the rehearsal hall for a glimpse of a live rehearsal of Assassins. Spend twenty-minutes observing director Danica Jackson and the cast working on bringing 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 to a 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’ early work concepts, sketches and research, ask questions about the process, and talk about how theatre is made.
| Rehearsal Track | Design Track | ||
| May 8, 2022 | May 20, 2022 | ||
| 3pm-4pm | 7pm-8pm |
Limited to 12 participants per track
Before seeing the evening’s performance of Assassins, join UT’s Mia Self, local theatre journalists, and select members of the creative team for a casual, one-hour pre-show conversation about Assassins; its history, structure, themes, and its relevance today. This experience includes a ticket to Assassins.
June 4, 17 | 6pm-7pm and June 12 at 12:30pm
Limited to 12 tickets per show.
Ever walked away from a show wanting to know more about it after you’ve seen 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 show.
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 legend of Franz Kafka and the doll story. Get a glimpse of a diverse cast of talented actors and musicians developing 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 Dates & Times
June 10 | 7:00pm
June 11 | 2:00pm
Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre
Are you one of those movie goers that must arrive early to see the previews? We are too! University Theatre has invited our neighbors to tell you about themselves, and for some companies, perform a snippet of what they are working on this summer. During the pre-show of select evening performances of Assassins, we hope you will enjoy hearing what is playing at a theatre near you.
Preview Times
7:10 pm – 7:30pm
Titmus Theatre
| Pure Life Theatre Company | Honest Pint Theatre Co. | Justice Theatre Project |
| June 2 | June 3 | June 4 |
| North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre | Raleigh Little Theatre | Burning Coal Theatre Co. |
| June 9 | June 10 | June 11 |
| North Carolina Theatre | Theatre in the Park | Theatre Raleigh |
| June 16 | June 17 | June 18 |
Build your own experience, picking and choosing from the various events throughout the day. TheatreFESTival is a casual open house experience where the community is invited backstage to see the magic behind live performance. Guests are welcome to join at any point during the day. Choose from an extensive list of ongoing events, creating your own custom experience. 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 also be on-site with information about their upcoming seasons, and giveaways!
June 11 | 1-4pm
Frank Thompson Hall
| Actor CHAT |
| Hear the untold stories of what it is like to be a working actor in Raleigh and what it takes to learn all those lines as they chat with the director and select cast members of Assassins. Be sure to bring your own questions. 40 Minutes. Sit down event. |
| Backstage PASS |
| Pull back the curtain and see the other side of the show. Led by the staff of University Theatre this is your chance to see how the magic of the theatre works in a backstage tour of UT’s Assassins. Tours meet in front lobby near the welcome desk. 20 Minutes. Walking Tour |
| Stage CRAFT |
| Have you ever wondered how the magic is made? Put on your safety goggles as we see the various ways University Theatre creates the scenery, costumes, lighting and video for TheatreFEST. 30 Minutes. Walking Tour |
| Designer TALK: SCENERY |
| Take a moment to hear from resident scenic designer Jayme Mellema as he details his artistic journey from script to sketch and from shop to stage in this Q&A session. 25 Minutes. Sit down event |
| Designer TALK: COSTUMES |
| Take a moment to hear from resident costume designer Laura Parker as she details her artistic journey from script to sketch and from shop to stage in this Q&A session. 25 Minutes. Sit down event |
| Designer TALK: LIGHTING |
| Take a moment to hear from resident Lighting and Sound designer Patrick Mathis as they detail their artistic journey from script to sketch and from shop to stage in this Q&A session. 25 Minutes. Sit down event |
| Thompson GYM |
| Led by NC State Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Emeritus, Dr. Thomas Stafford, go behind the walls of this 1925 building and see how one of the first homes of the WolfPack BasketBall Team was transformed into the home of University Theatre. 30 Minutes. Walking Tour |
| On-Camera Acting for TV & Film Workshop |
| Presented by Back-to-One Studios, this workshop will focus on the techniques of on-camera acting and provide the tools necessary to bring characters to life on screen. This mini workshop will consist of the basics of cinematic storytelling, the audition process, and the techniques of on-camera acting. Participants will learn by working on-camera with a chosen scene from Film and TV. 25 Minutes. Audience Participation |
| Easy Actions for Access |
| Everyone wants to make work that’s accessible and inclusive, but it can be overwhelming to figure out where to start. In this quick workshop, National WTF’s executive artistic director Johannah Maynard Edwards will share some easy actions anyone can do on any budget! |
The following companies and organizations will be on site to speak about their work and upcoming projects.
| Agape Theatre Project | Back-to-One Studio |
| Beltline to Broadway | Burning Coal Theatre Company |
| Honest Pint Theatre Company | Justice Theatre Project |
| NC State LIVE | North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre |
| North Carolina Theatre | Pure Life Theatre Company |
| Raleigh Little Theatre | Switchyard Theatre Company |
| Theatre in the Park | Theatre Raleigh |
| WolfPack Pickers | Women’s Theatre Festival |
Show Date & Time
June 17 | 6:30pm
Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre
In this first public staging of a new one-woman show, emerging artist and NC State alumna Dani Coan shares her coming of age story exploring themes of sexuality, family, anorexia, and self-love.
Themes
Sexuality, family, eating disorders, self-love, and storytelling
Content Warnings
Eating disorders and addiction
“Pay What You Can” donations directly benefit Mosaic supporting artists and creators. Minimum $1.00
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.
June 18 | 8pm
Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre
University Theatre is seeking playwrights, directors , and performers.
For more information about how you can join the Quick Scripts Team, register below.
TheatreFEST 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.