IU Theatre & Dance to Present Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' EVERYBODY This Month
The play follows a character named ‘Everybody' who travels down a long and mysterious road of discovery as they unravel the meaning of life.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Sep. 19, 2022
IU Theatre & Dance will open its epic 2022/2023 theater season with Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins' Everybody, a modern riff on the fifteenth century morality play, Everyman. The play follows a character named 'Everybody' who travels down a long and mysterious road of discovery as they unravel the meaning of life.
What makes the journey even more exciting, is that the actor who plays the character of 'Everybody' is picked at random from a live lottery at the beginning of each performance. (Yes, every actor has to memorize all those lines!). This production is made possible in part by funding from the College and Themester advisory committee. IU's production of Everybody explores society's struggle to accept humanity's flaws, and it does so with humor, biting honesty, and playful surprises.
This production, directed by second year M.F.A. directing candidate Lauren Diesch, aims to carry audiences along on this journey of acceptance and remind us that in the end all that remains of our life is the impact of our actions. "Good or evil," Diesch exclaims, "each of us will have to own our deeds when our time comes. Will you be ready when your number is called?"
Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Diesch has spent the last decade as the Director of Education and Associate Artistic Director of CLIMB Theatre in the Twin Cities working as director, playwright, actor, and teacher using theatre to create positive community change. Joining Diesch on the creative team are M.F.A. students Valeriya Nedviga (Sound Designer), Camille Deering (Costume Designer), Chyna Mayer (Scenic Designer), and Jordan Flores Schwartz (Dramaturg), with lighting design by Associate Professor Allen Hahn. Jordan Flores Schwartz's work on this production is in partial fulfillment of her M.F.A. thesis.
The cast of Everybody includes M.F.A. acting candidates Emily Davis and Eboni Edwards who are joined by undergraduates Alexander Coniaris, Amanda Fawell, Jillian Hurley, Laria Miller, Maya Owens, Kaleb Perkins, and Emma Shapiro. Playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is Professor in the Practice of Theater and Performance Studies at Yale. His plays include War (Yale Rep, Lincoln Center/LCT3), Gloria (Vineyard Theatre), Appropriate (Obie Award; Signature Theatre), An Octoroon (Obie Award; Soho Rep, Theatre for a New Audience) and Neighbors (The Public Theater). He is a 2016 MacArthur Fellow, a Residency Five playwright at Signature Theatre, and is under commissions from LCT3/Lincoln Center Theater, MTC/Sloan, and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
Performance Details:
What: IU Theatre & Dance presents Everybody by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
When: Sept 30-Oct 8 Tues-Sat at 7:30pm with Saturday matinees at 2:00pm
Where: The Wells-Metz Theatre at the Lee Norvelle Theatre & Drama Center at Indiana University
Tickets: $10 for children/students and $20 for adults https://am.ticketmaster.com/iuartstd/Everybody
or call (812) 855-1103.
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