N ILLINOIS UNIV THEATRE

presents

II 21,22,24,25 April 23,19

Senior Citizens, Group rates available

JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS

Staged and Directed by E. T. GUIDOTTI*

Vocal Director JOHN SATTERFIELD

Setting and Execution C. P. BLANCHETTE

Costumes and Execution DONNA CONRAD*

Lighting and Execution CHRISTOPHER S. BLADY*

ENSEMBLE Elizabeth Dripps

Jill Kosonen Catherine Palfenier

Stacy L. Scherf Brian Schultz Straford Wild

J. Jason Winfield

The Ensemble is composed of majors in Physics, English, Speech Communication, Psychology and Foreign Languages who have elected a double major in Theatre except for one minor who as a Psychology major will matriculate in the fall as a graduate student at Brandise in the acting program with a tuition waiver.

Piano/Celeste

ORCHESTRA under the musical direction of

Tim Lane

Bart Rettberg

Percussion ...................................... Lane Darko

Flautists ........................... Tim Lane, Jeannette Olson

Rehearsal Pianists ............... John Satterfield, Bart Rettberg

Eastern Illinois University Theatre is a member of the Illinois Theatre Association

*Denotes Membership in Alpha Psi Omega, Alpha Zeta Cast, Theatre Honorary Fraternity at Eastern Illinois University

MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT I

OVERTURE ..... . ............. .......... ..... ..... Orchestra

MARATHON ............................ ..... .... Ensemble

ALONE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Jill Kosonen

MADELEINE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Ensemble

I LOVED .................... .. ............ Catherine Palfenier

MATHILDE ................................ . ... Straford Wild

BACHELOR'S DANCE ............ ..... ........... Brian Schultz

TIMID FRIEDA .................... Elizabeth Dripps & Ensemble

MY DEATH ... .. ............ Catherine Palfenier & Straford Wild

GIRLS AND DOGS .. Brian Schultz, Straford Wild & Jason Winfield

JACKIE ... .. ................................. Jason Winfield

STATUE ..................................... . Straford Wild

THE DESPERATE ONES .. ............... ... .. .... .. Ensemble

SONS OF -- ................................... Stacy Scherf

AMSTERDAM ...................... Straford Wild & Ensemble

INTERMISSION: 15 MINUTES

ACT II

THE BULLS ............... . . .. ..... Jason Winfield & Ensemble

OLD FOLKS ................. ... .. Elizabeth Dripps & Ensemble

MARIEKE ......... .. ................... .. ... Elizabeth Dripps

BRUSSELS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Ensemble

FANETTE ..... . ........................ . ....... Brian Schultz

FUNERAL TANGO .......... . ......... ... . .. ... Jason Winfield

MIDDLE CLASS ..... Jason Winfield, Brian Schultz & Straford Wild

NO LOVE YOU'RE NOT ALONE ... Stacy Scherf & Elizabeth Dripps

NEXT ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Straford Wild

CAROUSEL ......................... Jill Kosonen & Ensemble

IF WE ONLY HAD LOVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Ensemble

DIRECTOR'S NOTE

This month marks the tenth anniver­sary of BreI's death. Eastern joins the ranks of numerous companies in Europe and Britain who are celebrating his life by mounting productions of his works.

What exactly is theatre?

There are neither standard definitions nor standard feelings to describe theatre. Aside from dictionary definitions, I do not know of a work or a body of work that satisfactorily describes theptre either as a physical entity or as an art entity. .

It is somewhat easier to define music or painting or dance or writing. In these areas we are not only surer of the nature of the discipline but we are more adventurous in our acceptance of range and variety. But in theatre, where we combine and use all these elements and more, we are less sure, less tolerant and less simple. Film, which is somewhat more technical and complicated as a com­posite of almost all arts, does not prevent us from completely identify­ing it. No matter what is put on it, Reagan or Hamlet, a motion picture is a motion picture.

But what is put on the stage is not necessarily theatre. And that makes for the rub and wide gashes in audience responses.

I cannot offer a definition of theatre. Like most others I do not know what it is, nor am I very sure of what it is not. My only guide is that I have seen a good deal of theatre and have tried to create some of it and thus I am able, like others, to recognize it.

In a physical sense one can create theatre almost anywhere - not merely in a formal area behind a proscenium, or at the bottom of a bowl of an arena theatre either indoors or out, on unmasked and open platforms, or on thrusting platforms, but, if you like, in a cornfield, or a village square, or on the gundeck of a battleship, or in the gymnasium of Lincoln Elementary, or at the Charleston Inn. Where have theatre players not performed plays?

But what do they perform that makes us say: This is theatre? Most often it is the words of writers who have created scenes and actions to entertain an audience. Sometimes they combine songs and dances with a libretto, and we call that musical theatre. Once we called it musical comedy, before the idea struck us that more serious themes could be handled in that form. In musical theatre we now do not hesitate to eliminate the chorus line leaving only libretto and music

and song. We can opt for other eliminations as well without, I think, losing the fact that we are still presenting and dealing with theatre.

If we sing the entire libretto and change the nature of the music, we have traditional opera, which is slowly yielding to more contem­porary approaches. Is opera theatre? Is operetta theatre?

Clearly, yes.

If we throw out libretto and song and go with music and dance we can have dance theatre. Of course, libretto, song and dance can be eliminated and music reduced to a background function leaving us only with bodily movement, and thus we could have Mime Theatre. And if we eliminate people on the stage we have Puppet and Marionette Theatre.

I do not think, however, that night-club acts are theatre, although they sometimes may be theatrical. Nor is variety. Nor standard bur­lesque. Nor an entertainer who does a one-man singing show. Yet there can be a one-man show that does achieve theatre.

The pertinent difference, it seems to me, is that in all theatre we are presented with a more or less total ambience, a specia~ sense .of time and place, through which the action moves and WhiCh, at Its best, involves us as the audience in a special world with special experiences to which we are forced to relate. We become engaged, and we have come to that world, the theatre, precisely because we want to be engaged in the first place. It is my conviction that we feel theatre, without actually defining it.

In Jacques Brei the single shift in emphasis is the elimination of the spoken text in musical theatre. The show is no less theatre because of that.

Brei has no plot in the traditional sense. Instead the show addres­ses the difficulties of being simple, of being true, of enjoying life and the dominant functions in our lives. Most important, the difficulty of being significant as a human being and an artist in a world where the establishment doesn't care very much. Brei's topic is the range of human emotions, his characters moving through a world of death, love, carousels, statues -- a world of LIFE.

I would like to give special thanks to the French Club and their advisor, Susan Boldray for providing background and biography and the original French lyrics. The company thanks them fortheir generos­ity in providing an opening night reception.

PRODUCTION STAFF

Student Director/Stage Manager .... . ............. Janet Noble Assistant Stage Manager/Movement Coach .. . . Maureen Manning Properties Master ....... ... .................. Diane Smallwood Master Electrician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Jack Smith House Manager . : ......... . . . ... Kelly Belva, Monica Workman Promotion & Management . .. . ..... . ................. J. Sain* Ticket Office Staff .............. J. Sain, Janet Noble, Lisa Farrell Production Photographer .... . ....................... Jon Sail

PRODUCTION CREWS

Set Construction . . ....................... Gerald M. Lunsford*, J. Kenneth Barnett III, Ami R. Frank, Jack S. Smith,

Robert Eli Poe, Jennifer Andrews*, Jeana Guerrieri, Bill Kiley, Jeanette McClasky

Costume Crew .... .. .......... Diane Smallwood, Michael Kelly, Angela Snead*, Angela Sweeney, Teresa Rutledge,

Tamika Wilson, Stephen Turner, Laura Lombardo, Carrie Roath, Zshoan Williams, Deneeda Rivers

Wardrobe Crew .. .. ................... . ... Antionette Spinner, Tracey Reboletti, Sheila Oseguera, Rima Sifri

Lighting Crew ..................... Tom Hager, Matt Kaemerer, D. Denise Luster, Kevin Miller, Todd Phelps,

Diane Smallwood, Tina Woolfolk

The Technical Staff includes majors in Industrial Arts, English, Speech Communication, Business, Fine Arts, Education, History and Theatre.

This production inaugurates the computer assisted and activated lighting system.

This production is an entry into the 37th Annual Edinburgh International Drama Festival

in the Fringe category for universities and colleges.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Susan Boldray

EIU Department of Music

General Information

The use of photographic or recording equipment is prohibited during

performances.

No smoking or drinking in the theatre.

Unpaid reservations will be released fifteen minutes prior to curtain.

Latecomers will be seated atthe discretion of the House Management.

If there is a possibility that you may need to be paged, please inform the Ticket Office of your seating area.

Parking

"Plenty good room ... " the lively old spiritual says. And it's most true for our special visitors to College of Fine Arts events at Eastern Illinois University!

The College of Fine Arts units (Art, Music, Theatre Arts & the Tarble Arts Center) encourage you to attend all events and park where it is convenient. Metered parking will be enforced, however, as well as restrictions on handicapped parking spaces.

The University does not intend to ticket visitors to our campus, but in the event you should receive a ticket, please give it to an attendant or staff member at any of our facilities, or send it to me: Dean Vaughn Jaenike, College of Fine Arts, EIU, Charleston, IL 61920. You will not be responsible for the penalty.

Again, it is not the intent of the University to ticket vehicles belonging to campus visitors attending events in our art, music, theatre or museum facilities, so

. . . please come and enjoy the arts at EIU!

Theatre Arts Faculty & Staff

E. T. Guidotti. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Acting Chair* Dr. Gerald E. Sullivan . ........ . .. . .......... Director of Theatre Dr. Mel M. Slott ........................... Director of Theatre C. P. Blanchette .......... . . . .... Set DesigneriTechnical Director

Director of Theatre Dr. Jerry Eisenhour . . . .. . ..... . ........ . .. Director of Theatre* Donna C. Conrad ....... . .. . . . ... .. ... . ... . Costume Designer J. Sain .......... . ... . .... . .... .. Promotion and Management Billy O. Hall .. . ............... Instructional Materials Technician

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University Theatre 1989 Season

CELEBRATION '89: A FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS April 28, 29, 30

THE DRUNKARD by Brian J. Burton - in the Theatre 8:00 pm July 7,8, 10,11,12 2:00 pm July 9

The University Theatre Ticket Office is open daily, Monday through Friday, from 1 :00 to 5:00 pm beginning the Monday prior to the opening night performance and is open one hour prior to each perfor­mance. The Ticket Office is closed Saturday afternoons. For your convenience, we have installed a telephone answering service during periods when we are closed. If you are calling to cancel or change a reservation for our performances, you may leave a brief message. Call (217) 581-3110 for reservations and ticket information. Or, you may write us at the following address:

University Theatre Ticket Office, Doudna Fine Arts Center, FAT-105 Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL 61920