Press release from UNC Asheville:
In celebration of the 80th anniversary of the radio broadcast of War of the Worlds – Orson Welles’ dramatization of the H.G. Wells novel – TheatreUNCA will bring the drama to the stage, with shows Sept. 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m., and a special midnight show on Sept. 29, all in Belk Theatre. The TheatreUNCA Fall Mainstage Season will continue in November with Metamorphoses, based on the ancient Roman myths of Ovid.
War of the Worlds
The original 1938 broadcast of War of the Worlds was part of the radio drama series, The Mercury Theatre on the Air, and after media reports alleging that the show caused public panic, the show gained legendary status.
The version that TheatreUNCA will bring to the Belk Theatre stage is War of the Worlds – The 1938 Radio Script, a drama by Howard E. Koch, given a new interpretation by guest director Kirstin Leigh Daniel. Students Connor Harmsworth and Jarrett Lefler will be the “Foley” artists – providing the sound effects that were the staple of the golden age of radio. Completing the cast will be students Geordie Bailey, Marcus Christensen, Jack Cook, Morgan Fuller, Tori Isenhour, Alex Levine and Bri Stewart, and local stage mainstay, George Heard of the chemistry faculty.
War of the Worlds is produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com)
Metamorphoses
Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses, based on Ovid’s 15-book mythological poetic narrative, will be directed by senior Grace Siplon, with a design crew also made of up senior drama majors. The all-student cast will be Mae Tesh, Raina Trent, William Buffkin, Bjorn Goller-Hagood, Louise Gilbert, Grace Derenne, Angus Thrower, Kelsey Hamilton, Alyssa Vincent and Harris Middlesworth.
Curtain for Metamorphoses will be 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 15-17, with a Sunday 2 p.m. matinee on Nov. 18.
Metamorphoses is produced by special arrangement with Bruce Ostler, Bret Adams, Ltd., 448 West 44th St., N.Y., N.Y. 10036.
Ticket Information
General admission tickets to TheatreUNCA performances are $12; students and OLLI members, $7; and faculty and seniors, $10. Tickets are available at the door and online at etix.com/ticket/v/9477. When ordering tickets for the midnight show, use the September 30 selection.
For more information, contact Suzie Morris in UNC Asheville’s Department of Drama, smorris1@unca.edu or 828.251.6610.
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