The Mary Baldwin University undergraduate theatre department is pleased to present its production of “The Love Of the Nightingale” at the Fletcher Collins Theatre, located in Deming Hall. The play will run from Feb. 12–16. Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., while the two matinees on Saturday and Sunday will begin at 2 p.m.
Written by Timberlake Wertenbaker, “The Love of the Nightingale” comments on the world today through the lens of ancient Greek theatre and myth. This thought-provoking feminist take on an old tale from Ovid’s Metamorphoses elaborates upon the experience of Philomele, a woman who, brutalized and silenced, finds the strength to rise and exact revenge. This trying process not only transforms her literally and figuratively, it helps her transcend an experience that threatened to define her.
Content Warning: “The Love of the Nightingale” contains material pertaining to sexual assault, gendered violence, and rape, as well as other forms of violence including murder. It may not be suitable for patrons under 16.
Doreen Bechtol, associate professor of Shakespeare and Performance at Mary Baldwin University, directs this production along with assistant directors Ryan Wilson and Layla Ophelia. The cast features students Willow Keith, Nora Oechslin, Gil Mitchell, Allyn Huggins, Keith Taylor, and Jay Cropper. Joining them are fellow students Michaela Harmon, Andrew Pollack, Aur Salas, Daphnie Sowa, Callie Banholzer, Jillian Walker, and Jacob Wine. We also want to extend thanks to professors Molly Seremet for costume design along with her students who built masks; JP Scheidler for set design and fight choreography; Martha Saunders and her art students who designed and built the dolls, the program covers, and the show posters; and Allan Moyé’s film students for creating a documentary of the production process.
Please come and see MBU’s production of “The Love of the Nightingale” at Fletcher Collins Black Box Theatre on February 12-14 at 7:30 p.m. and February 15-16 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $7 for students, senior citizens, Mary Baldwin faculty and staff, and $12 for all other adults. Mary Baldwin undergraduates receive one free ticket for each of the productions. To reserve tickets, order online.
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