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Canticles Explores Universal Themes

The College Theater Ensemble will stage a collection of five original plays, all inspired by the Canticle of St. Francis of Assisi, on March 13, 14 and 15 at 8 p.m. and on March 16 at 2 p.m.  Entitled Canticles, the group of short performance pieces presents stories that range from comic to dramatic and from experimental to traditional.

Canticles does not dramatize the life or work of St. Francis. Instead, using themes such as love, death and nature from the saint’s poem, theater professor Terry Gleeson, who wrote all five plays, explores complex human interactions in a variety of settings. Original music composed by professor Richard Sayers echoes the themes and connects the vignettes.

The piece entitled Sand follows an American soldier in Iraq who leaves the safety of his unit to gaze at the stars. Pops dramatizes the struggles of a brother and sister, dealing with the impending death of their father. In Busking, a motley collection of characters who cross paths in a train station wrestle through initial hostility to gain a grudging respect for one another. Dreamer, set at the time of the Crusades, and Water Table, an absurdist piece, round out the Canticles collection.

All five one-act plays were developed in workshop with Neumann students, who – along with mathematics professor Ed Milliner – play multiple roles in the production. Student actors include John Baxter, Mike Conover, Sara Lohinski, Rachael Mayer and Gabe Riberio. Gleeson and Milliner co-direct the play.

The Theater Ensemble is the resident performing company of Neumann College, comprised of students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members under the artistic direction of Gleeson. The company has been producing plays continuously since 1984.

Performances are in the Meagher Theatre, located in the Thomas A. Bruder, Jr. Life Center. General admission to the show is $10 per person, $5 for students and seniors.

For reservations and information, call 610-361-5455.

3/7/08