UCSB THEATER/DANCE Announces 2021-2022 Season

The Department of Theater and Dance at UC Santa Barbara has announced another exciting year of performances, this time back in-person. This season includes everything from unique takes on old classics to new and original works in both theater and dance.

The season kicks off on October first with a performance of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, presented by the award-winning NAKED SHAKES collective. After their 2018 production of Hamlet, NAKED SHAKES returns in person with this absurd and delightful comedy of mistaken identities. Directed by Irwin Appel, the show follows twins Sebastien and Viola who believe each other to be dead after being separated by a shipwreck. The show takes place on the Commencement Green and is sure to be special as one of the first live performances at UCSB in over 18 months.

Following Twelfth Night is the first of two 24-hour Play Festivals this season. This festival is a celebration of community and creation that will feature original never-before-seen short plays written, directed, and acted by UCSB students, faculty, and staff - all written, produced, and performed in 24 hours. The show will take place in the intimate Studio Theater located on campus. The show runs for one night on October 16th and the second festival premiers in January 2022.

November begins with Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, originally created by Greg Allen in Chicago where it became the longest running show in history. Now, director Michael Bernard is bringing the show to Santa Barbara. Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind is an ensemble production that seeks to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes. Each two-minute play is performed in random order with audience participation. The 30 plays range from heart-warming to funny to gut-wrenching. Don't miss out on this unique theatrical experience taking place at the UCSB Performing Arts Theater.

Next in November, undergraduate directing students will present the One Acts. Mentored by Irwin Appel, the directing students will stage a variety of one-act plays that range from cutting-edge to tried-and-true classics. The directors go through the entire process of putting on a show, from casting to set design to sourcing props. The One Acts are an exciting showcase of collaboration and education. The show will take place in the Studio Theater and runs for three nights. There will be another set of one acts during Spring Quarter in May where advanced directing students will present their capstone projects mentored by Annie Torsiglieri.

As the final play of the fall, Risa Brainin directs Anton Checkhov's Seagull. Translated by Libby Appel, the show is a perfect way to return to campus after being away for so long as it tells the story of the reunion of an eccentric family. Considered to be the first of Chekhov's four major plays, Seagull is both a hilarious and heart-breaking love letter to theater.

To close out the fall quarter, and to kick off the Dance Perfomance Season, this year's Fall Dance Concert, Kinetic Lab, will feature original works by BFA Dance students. Kinetic Lab is a creative, process-focused choreography lab for students to discover their individual compositional methods and unique artistic voices. The BFA students will present their new pieces in collaboration with student lighting and costume designers. The concert is directed by Brandon Whited and takes place in the Hatlen Theater. Kinetic Lab will return again in 2022 as the last production of the season.

To start off the winter season, LAUNCH PAD, AMPLIFY, and the Initiative for New and Reimagined Works will present the BIPOC Reading Series Festival. The event is also in association with the National New Play Network. The Festival is a dynamic exchange of ideas between emerging and veteran artists where four new plays will receive 20-hour workshops, after which they will be presented to the public.

After the BIPOC Reading Series Festival, the University's highly acclaimed resident professional dance company, Santa Barbara Dance Theater, returns from the pandemic-imposed hiatus. The company springs back into action with new creative leadership, with the upcoming performanced under the direction of artistic director Brandon Whited. This dynamic show of new and original works is presented in-the-round in the Performing Arts Theater.

In February, UCSB Graduate student Jo Palazuelos-Krukowski writes and directs her original play, Spectral Frequencies. Palazuelos-Krukowski's doctoral research on spectrality, folklore, aurality, and cross-cultural theatre is a perfect background for Spectral Frequencies, a ghostly tapestry of Australian aural dramas brought to life for the stage. The show is a wondrous amalgam of scary stories showcasing the island continent's rich legacy of twentieth century horror radio, and takes place in the Performing Arts Theater.

In a special collaboration, the Department of Theater and Dance and the Department of Music will co-present a whimsical staging of the opera Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The opera is directed by Isabel Bayrakdarian, with puppetry and choreography by Christina McCarthy. The show follows Prince Tamino who has been asked by the Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter from captivity. Sure to be an enchanting collaboration of music, theater, and dance, don't miss out on this unique performance in Lotte Lehman Concert Hall.

As our world slowly tries to return to normal in the aftermath of the pandemic, The Bones of Contention seeks to reflect the challenges we face in the wake of our "new normal." Written and directed by Leo Cabranes-Grant, the show explores how a Californian community tries to stick together after a pandemic while facing the difficulty and demands of emotional loss, a failing economy, and an environmental crisis. Don't miss this new work that is sure to hit close to home for many, taking place in the beautiful Hatlen Theater.

To round out the Winter Quarter, the University's own UCSB Dance Company will present compelling new works under the direction of artistic director Delila Moseley. The show will include work from guest choreographers Yusha-Marie Solzano, Derion Loman, and Joshua Manculich, as well as restagings of world-renowned pieces by trailblazing choreographers Donald McKayle and José Limón.

To close out the quarter, Daniel Stein mentors BFA Acting students in the creation of their Senior Solos. This project is the product of three years of rigorous training, endless energy, and unbridled imagination, all culminating in the final one-person performances created by the students. Always an intimate and emotional viewing experience, Senior Solos takes place in the Studio Theater for one night only.

Opening up the Spring quarter is the Spring Dance Concert, directed by Brandon Whited. This year's concert will present new capstone choreography by six senior BFA Dance majors. Also featured, the UCSB Dance Company will present new repertory before departing on their spring European tour.

Next in dance, the senior BA Dance majors will present their Senior Dance Solos. The project is mentored by Christina McCarthy who guides the students as they find their solo voice in an experimental process delving into a variety of performance and visual arts mediums.

For the spring musical, Julie Fishell directs The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. With music by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, and conceived by Rebecca Feldman with additional materials by Jay Reiss. Winner of Tony and Drama Desk awards, this hilarious show gives a peek into the thoughts and emotions of the children who compete in the spelling bee. Complete with audience participation, it is a riotous ride of comedic genius.

Following the musical, contemporary ballet company Opus I presents Aqua. Directed by Valeria Huston, and including work by both Huston and Arizona State University dance faculty member Carley Condor, the concert is a full length program exploring the color of water and the critical link between water and life.

Next is a LAUNCH PAD preview production of A Medusa Thread. This is a new play by Candrice Jones, directed by Shirley Jo Finney. In A Medusa Thread, the audience is thrust into the world of a purgatorial beauty shop where Medusa herself gives customers one last hairdo before they transition into their after-life. This exciting new work runs for seven nights in the Performing Arts Theater.

Finally, to finish this season of theater, Daniel Stein mentors students in the presentation of Particle Collider, a creative crucible that encourages radical discovery and the development of artistic voice. This project is open to any active UCSB student and is free to watch.

Be sure to keep an eye out for additional events such as lectures and symposiums. Tickets for the 2021-2022 season are available online at the UCSB Theater and Dance website, www.theaterdance.ucsb.edu and at the Associated Students Ticket Office by the UCSB University Center. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone (805) 893 - 2064. Ticket office hours are from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Many events are free, but for those that are not, ticket prices are $17.00 for general admission and $13.00 for all students, seniors, children and UCSB faculty & staff.

The Department of Theater and Dance is also pleased to announce that season subscriptions are available for sale. The Theater Series (6 theater performances) and Dance Series (3 dance productions) will be available for a 20% discount off the general admission price. Alternatively, patrons may select their own subscription by choosing any five events for a discount of 10% off the general admission price. Subject to availability. Some restrictions apply. Visit the Theater/Dance website for more details: www.theaterdance.ucsb.edu.

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