DECEMBER 19, 2005 WHAT: Las Meninas WHO: The Department of Theatre Arts & Dance at the University of Minnesota WHEN: February 24-March 5, 2006 WHERE: Rarig Center, West Bank Arts Quarter, University of Minnesota 330 21st Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN CONTACT: Erin Roberts, Marketing Associate, 612.625.4001, utheatre@umn.edu TICKETS: U of M Arts Ticket Office, 612.624.2345; or www.theatre.umn.edu GROUP SALES: 612.625.8878 University Theatre explores African American history just in time for Black History Month December 19, Minneapolis: A historical preservation endeavor promotes a powerful theatrical message in University Theatre's production of Las Meninas, a young work by the newly prominent playwright Lynn Nottage. A completely true story, told through the voice of the mysterious and legendary Black Nun of Moret, demonstrates the human experience across borders of language, country, and culture. Inspired by Nottage's research into the African presence in 17th century Europe, Las Meninas journeys through the French Age of Splendor exploring issues of slavery, oppression, love, isolation and historical erasure. At the center of the play is the illicit romance between Queen Marie-Therese, wife of Louis XIV, and her African servant, Nabo, a dwarf from Dahomey. Las Meninas restages encounters of record and imagines the spaces in between to reveal the story of a woman's search for love and a man's search for freedom. A creative interpretation Tisch Jones, alumna of the Department of Theatre Arts & Dance, returns to the University of Minnesota to direct Las Meninas. Jones' interpretation has had a strong influence on the shaping of this play during its short life, due to her strong connections with the playwright, with whom she worked at Yale Repertory Theatre. In 2004, Jones directed one other production of the script at Grinnell College in Iowa. One of the many challenges of directing Las Meninas is casting the part of Nabo, an African dwarf. Jones tackles this by using a play-within-a-play approach, which allows for main characters to be acted out by the nuns who are a part of the convent scene in the beginning of the play. Nabo can be played by a nun in disguise, acting the part on his knees. Although there are elements of interpretation that Jones will reproduce from her production at Grinnell, she feels like she is starting with a new slate at the University of Minnesota, particularly in the fact that she is working with an arena theatre space rather than a thrust, on which she directed in Iowa. Jones has encouraged designers not to ask questions about previous design elements, wanting University of Minnesota students to feel personal ownership of this production of the play.
theatre.umn.edu | 612.625.4001 | utheatre@umn.edu
Celebrating 75 years of University Theatre
& 20 years of University Dance Theatre
Three generations at the University of Minnesota
Jones is part of a three-generation educational tradition at the University of Minnesota. Her mother, Dr. Geneva Southall, was a University scholar and professor emerita, Jones herself graduated in 1977 with a BA in theatre, and her daughter is currently a student in the Department of Theatre Arts & Dance BFA Actor Training program. Jones is currently a professional director and a professor of theatre at the University of Iowa. Her professional productions include Woza Albert; The Escape: or, a Leap to Freedom; Joe Turner's Come and Gone; Klub Ka: The Blues Legend; Blues for an Alabama Sky' Gray Panthers; and most recently, Rolling on the T.O.B.A. at Penumbra Theatre. She has directed for Unadillo Theatre in Vermont, Stony Creek Puppet House in Connecticut, Onstage Atlanta, Iowa Summer Repertory Theatre, New Federal Theater, Lincoln Center, The Apollo and La Mama in New York. Ms. Jones is also known for her adaptation and direction of rarely staged work such as Lorraine Hansberry's Drinking Gourd. She was one of the founders of the Twin Cities Black Theatre Alliance, was Director of Special Arts Programs for the Connecticut State Board of Education, and served as assistant to Lloyd Richards, the Dean/Artistic Director at Yale Repertory Theatre, where she was involved in the transfer of Fences and Joe Turner's Come and Gone to Broadway. Ms. Jones cut her teeth as an actor, director and musician at the Old Shoestring Theater, the Theatre of Involvement, the St. Paul Community Theater and the Minnesota Centennial Showboat. Purple Flower info Related to the production of Las Meninas, the Department of Theatre Arts & Dance will collaborate with the Department of African American & African Studies on a workshop called The Purple Flower. The Purple Flower is a very short, rarely done play by Marita Bonner, which will be presented by Tisch Jones. The Purple Flower workshop will take place on February 10, 2006 at the Rarig Center. 75 Spectacular Seasons of University Theatre Las Meninas is part of an exciting season celebrating the 75th anniversary of University Theatre and the 20th anniversary of University Dance Theatre. Simply titled 75:20, the season features performances that include the artistic efforts of Department alumni and guests, along with an exciting weekend of memories and events centered around our final performance of the year. More information on the 75:20 season can be found at http://7520.umn.edu. Las Meninas runs February 24 - March 5, 2006, in the Arena Theatre of the Rarig Center on the University of Minnesota's West Bank campus. For ticket information, call the University Arts Ticket Office at 612.624.2345. For group sales information, call 612.625.8878. For additional information, feature ideas, or to set up interviews, contact Erin Roberts, Marketing Associate, at 612.625.4001, or utheatre@umn.edu.