Current Season
Department of Theatre
THE CATASTROPHIST
By Lauren Gunderson
Directed by Jeff Casazza
Williams Theatre
September 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 | 8 p.m.
September 22 | 2 p.m.
How do you plan for a catastrophe? Virologist Nathan Wolfe, named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World for his work tracking viral pandemic outbreaks, proposed pandemic insurance years before the novel coronavirus outbreak. No one bought it. Now, in a post-COVID world, we hear his story through the voices of multiple actors. An interactive deep dive into the profundities of scientific exploration, the lengths one goes for love and family, the bracing truths of fatherhood and discovery, and the harrowing realities of facing your own mortality, The Catastrophist is an unforgettable theatrical experience.
Rated PG
CABARET
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Book by Joe Masteroff
Based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood
Directed and Choreographed by Julie Lyn Barber
Musical Direction by Holly Knott
Williams Theatre
Nov. 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 | 8 p.m.
Nov. 17 | 2 p.m.
As the roaring 20s give way to 1930, American writer, Cliff Bradshaw, travels to Berlin in search of new experiences and inspiration. He finds both in the hedonistic Kit Kat Club and its star, Sally Bowles. The Club, led by an enigmatic Emcee, is a decadent sanctuary that artists, misfits and performers call home. In here, life is beautiful, while outside the Third Reich is taking hold, threatening to obliterate any sense of sanctuary for many. Life imitates art and vice versa as Berliners try to go about their lives, and Kit Kat performers strive to keep life beautiful as long as they can through wildly entertaining cabaret numbers.
Rated R
The 24-Hour Plays
Produced by Bev Redman
Studio Theatre in Kettler Hall
December 7 | 8 p.m.
The 24-Hour Plays is a wild night of original work featuring short plays written, rehearsed, and performed by students over the course of 24 hours. On Friday night, each playwright will be assigned a director and a group of actors (underclassmen) who will each bring a prop and costume piece. Writing all night, keeping the actors, props, and costumes in mind, the playwright will meet with their director at 7 a.m. to discuss the newly written play. One hour later the actors begin rehearsals and have all day Saturday to fully memorize, stage, and perform their play for an audience.
Rated PG
JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN
By Kimberly Belflower
Directed by Mark Ridgeway
William Theatre
February 21, 22, 27, 28, March 1 | 8 p.m.
February 23 | 2 p.m.
Set in a one-stoplight town in rural Georgia, things are unsettled at Helen County High. Rumors are swirling around a student’s dad, another student blew up her life and left for Atlanta, and Mr. Smith’s junior English class has to make it through sex ed before they can finally start The Crucible. But what one man calls a witch hunt, a young woman calls the truth, and when the teens start questioning what really happened in Salem, everything threatens to change. John Proctor is the Villain captures a generation in mid-transformation, running on pop music, optimism, and fury—writing their own coming of age story.
Rated PG-13
Content advisory: The production contains adult language and thematic material, including frank discussion of sexual misconduct.
ELEPHANT & PIGGIE'S "WE ARE IN A PLAY!"
Book and Lyrics by Mo Willems
Music by Deborah Wicks LaPuma
Based on the Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems
Directed by Bev Redman
Musical Direction by Holly Knott
Williams Theatre
April 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 | 8 p.m.
April 19, 26 | 2 p.m.
Get ready for a musical experience ripped from the pages of Mo Willems' beloved, award-winning, and best-selling children's books. In this vaudevillian romp, two best friends, an elephant named Gerald and a pig named Piggie, attend a party hosted by the Squirrels, three fun-loving rodents. The fiesta erupts with dance and song that will leave audiences dancing the “Flippy Floppy Floory” all night long. Before the curtains close on this special day, plenty of pachydermal peril and swiney suspense will ensue, keeping us all on the edge of our seats.
Rated G
University Box Office
Schatzlein Box Office
Conveniently located in the lobby of the Rhinehart Music Center, the box office is the home base of the daily operations for tickets purchases for theatre performances, music concerts and recitals, lectures, and other entertainment events. Patrons are encouraged to call in advance to reserve their tickets. Please arrive early. Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of management or at intermission.
Purchase Tickets
Contact
260-481-6555, option 2
[email protected]
Single Ticket Prices for Plays
- $18 Adults
- $16 Seniors/Faculty/Staff/Alumni
- $14 Groups of 10 or More
- $14 Other College Students with ID
- $5 Purdue Fort Wayne students/high school Students/children under 18
Single Ticket Prices for Musicals
- $20 Adults
- $18 Seniors/Faculty/Staff/Alumni
- $16 Groups of 10 or More
- $16 Other College Students with ID
- $5 Purdue Fort Wayne students/high school students/children under 18
Single Ticket Prices for Studio Showcase
Season Subscription patrons receive one free ticket to each production in
Studio Theatre when they are part of the season throughout the academic year.
$5 All Other Patrons
Patrons with Disabilities
- Accessible parking and lower level seating.
- SoundMate® Personal Listening System available in Williams Theatre for patrons with hearing loss.
- Call the University Box Office at 260-481-6555, option 2, for any additional questions.