April 7, 2010
The Miser. Download image.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Theatre UAB will present "The Miser," written by Molière, directed by Dennis McLernon, at 7:30 p.m. nightly April 21-24 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 25 in the Alys Stephens Center Sirote Theatre, 1200 10th Ave. South. Tickets are $12 and $15; $6 for students; $10 for UAB employees and senior citizens. Call 205-975-2787. Visit the UAB Department of Theatre online at http://theatre.hum.uab.edu/.
Love and avarice are delightfully entangled in this sardonic comedy from 1668. Molière's notorious character Harpagon is an old skinflint; his every thought, word and action is motivated by greed. Convinced his children are plotting to rob him blind, he makes arrangements to marry them off, not for love but monetary gain. Harpagon's financial paranoia builds with frenzied, comic momentum as the children conspire to teach the tightwad a lesson not soon forgotten.
Elements explored in the Theatre UAB production are the traditional characteristics of comedia d'ell arte, said McLernon, and include physical humor or slapstick, punning and word play, sexual innuendo, parody of social manners, and the promise and endangerment of true love. "The characters are all universal stock types - young lovers, the matchmaker, a clever servant, dim-witted clowns, overbearing parents - all of these remain alive and well in sitcoms and movies," McLernon said.
"Also, we choose the show, of course, as training for our students in this genre, actors as well as designers," he said. "So it is a great opportunity to have fun, entertain, train our students and prepare them for the professional repertory they will encounter in the business."
The cast includes Daniel Martin of Trinity as Harpagon, Brenton Bellomy of Scottsboro as Cleante, Noah Holcomb of Sumiton as La Fleche, Hannah Hughes of Vestavia Hills as Elise, Brett Blaylock of Birmingham as Valere, Natalie Kinsaul of Corner as Marianne, Taylor Campbell of Arab as Anselme, Lindsay Allen of Tuscaloosa as Frosine, Jon McLernon of Homewood as Master Jacques, Catie Cole of Demopolis as Brindavoine, Tori Ward of Birmingham as La Merluche, Jasmaine McCorvey of Montgomery as Dame Claude, Shaun Matthews of Harpersville as Master Simon and Jared Funderburg of Pell City as Officer. Steve Carmichael is the guest lighting designer for the show.
About the UAB Department of Theatre
The UAB Department of Theatre has won the highest honors awarded to university theaters, including best in region from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF). In 2008, UAB's production of "In the Blood," directed by McLernon, was one of three shows chosen by KCACTF from 300 in consideration nationwide. Faculty members in the department continue to work professionally in addition to teaching. UAB Theatre performances are presented at the Alys Stephens Center, UAB's own world-class performing arts center. This year the department will celebrate its 40th anniversary.