Adelphi University's Department of Theatre is proud to present Street Scene, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Elmer Rice, starring the University's theatre majors as well as members of the local community. Directed by Associate Professor of Performing Arts Margaret Lally, Street Scene opens its seven performance run on Tuesday, October 6 and closes Sunday, October 11, 2009 (performance times vary) in the University's Performing Arts Center (AU PAC), Olmsted Theatre, 1 South Avenue, Garden City, NY. A post-show discussion will follow the Wednesday, October 7, 6:30 p.m., and Friday, October 9, 11:00 a.m. performances.
Street Scene, the award-winning play by Elmer Rice, takes place on the front stoop of a New York City tenement building in the summer of 1929. Though 80 years have passed, themes such as immigrant families' struggles against intolerance and neighborhood violence still persist today. A further parallel can be drawn between then and now, as each period had witnessed a peak in the financial market that seemed limitless until an economic meltdown later ensued, leaving a great deal of the population riddled with unemployment and personal crises. The play is described as portraying "social realism," a genre that more frankly depicts the American experience.
In addition, from Monday, October 5 to Thursday, October 8, the independent nonprofit group, StoryCorps, will be on the Adelphi campus allowing community members to tell their own versions of the American experience. StoryCorps began as an initiative in 2003 with the main purpose of preserving American history and experience by recording interviews between family members and friends in an effort to learn more about each person's unique journey through life. The project has grown exponentially since its inception, with more than 50,000 people sharing their life experiences. Each participant walks away with a CD that documents the exchange. A second CD is then archived at the Library of Congress for future generations to listen to. Many stories are also aired on National Public Radio as part of StoryCorps' regular series. Just as Street Scene describes the immigrant experience in Depression-era New York, StoryCorps allows people to tell their own stories of survival and success against the odds.
Elmer Rice, born Elmer Leopold Reizenstein in 1892, set a number of precedents throughout his career as a playwright. His first production, On Trial (1914), was the first play to incorporate the use of flashback, and his degree in law (cum laude) from the New York Law School in 1912, allowed him to set the standard for plays dealing with legality. His successful career continued for approximately half a century, and ended with his passing in 1967. Street Scene remains one of his most frequently produced works.
Tickets for this event are on sale now at $15 regular admission, $10 for seniors and alumni, and $7 for students. To learn more about Street Scene and the AU PAC's exciting 2009 - 2010 season, please visit aupac.adelphi.edu or call the AU PAC Box Office at (516) 877-4000.
About Adelphi University: Adelphi University, chartered in 1896, was the first institution of higher education for the liberal arts and sciences on Long Island. Through its schools and programs-The College of Arts and Sciences, Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Honors College, Ruth S. Ammon School of Education, University College, and the Schools of Business, Nursing, and Social Work-the co-educational university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as professional and educational programs for adults. Adelphi University currently enrolls nearly 8,500 students from 41 states and 63 foreign countries. With its main campus in Garden City and centers in Manhattan, Hauppauge, and Poughkeepsie, the University maintains a commitment to liberal studies in tandem with rigorous professional preparation and active citizenship.
