Quinnipiac University's Theater for Community will present its production of Johnny Johnson, a satiric musical that explores the journey of a young World War I soldier who attempts to stop what he regards as a senseless war. The play, which was written by Paul Green and Kurt Weill, will be performed Nov. 11-14 at Long Wharf Theatre, Stage II, in New Haven.
"The play has enormous contemporary resonance, since Johnny is eventually arrested by the military for what they regard as his ‘subversive' activities. He is sent home from the WWI front, believing he will be imprisoned. However, he is instead committed to a psychiatric institution for a number of years," said Crystal Brian, of Cheshire, the Quinnipiac theater professor directing the production.
"The irony of a young man who believes in peace being regarded as ‘crazy' by not only the military, but American society at large, has many connections to what is happening today with American involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. The connections to contemporary realities with homeless, suicidal and post-traumatic stress disorder-afflicted veterans are staggering."
The cast includes several Connecticut student actors, including Michael Bobenhausen of Danbury, who will play the title role; Elisha Dorsey of Suffield; Noah Golden of Guilford; Brittany Kammerer of East Haven; and Emily Seibert of Oxford.
Curtain time is 8 p.m. Nov. 11-13 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 14. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $8 for students and senior citizens. For tickets, please call 203-582-3500 or email Crystal.Brian@quinnipiac.edu.
Quinnipiac is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Boston. The university enrolls 5,900 full-time undergraduate and more than 2,000 graduate students in 52 undergraduate and more than 20 graduate programs of study in its School of Business, School of Communications, School of Education, School of Health Sciences, School of Law, and College of Arts and Sciences. Quinnipiac ranks among the top 10 universities with master's programs in the Northern region in U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges. The 2009 issue of U.S. News and World Report's America's Best Colleges named Quinnipiac as the top up-and-coming school with master's programs in the Northern Region. Quinnipiac also is recognized in Princeton Review's The Best 373 Colleges. For more information, please visit www.quinnipiac.edu. Connect with Quinnipiac on Facebook at www.facebook.com/quinnipiacuniversity and follow Quinnipiac on Twitter @QuinnipiacU.
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