Wooster’s Theatre Department to Present ‘Life is a Dream’

Performances scheduled for Feb. 28-Mar. 2 in Freedlander Theatre

WOOSTER, Ohio — A modern translation of a classic production from the Spanish Golden Age will take the stage this weekend in Freedlander Theatre (329 E. University St.) when The College of Wooster’s Department of Theatre and Dance present’s “Life is a Dream.” Performances are scheduled for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (Feb. 28-Mar. 2) beginning at 8:15 p.m. each evening. Tickets are $9 for general admission and $6 for senior citizens and students. Tickets for College of Wooster faculty and staff are $6 each, while Wooster students are admitted free.

Written by Pedro Calderón de la Barca in 1635 and translated and adapted by Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz in 2008, this production has been reworked for contemporary society, but without making sacrifices to the original, according to Jimmy Noriega, assistant professor of theatre and dance, and director of the Wooster production. “I wanted to incorporate modern elements into the text,” he said. “Our show blends the classic and poetic language with a contemporary aesthetic, working as interlocutor between the two playwrights.”

In the play, Segismundo, the Prince of Poland, has been imprisoned in a tower since birth because a prophecy foretold that he would bring violence to the kingdom. For years the king has kept this secret, until one day he frees his son to test fate. “As the events unfold, we as an audience are challenged to look at and question our own true nature and humanity,” said Noriega. “What are the differences between free will and destiny, dreaming and living, and theatre and reality?”

Featured performers are juniors Janna Haywood, Kevin Glass, and Aviva Neff, along with sophomores Patrick McWilliams, Colin Martin, Adam Seligson, and Colin Commager. The ensemble consists of juniors Kathy Arnold and Amanda O'Donnell; sophomores Erika Daun and Eliza Somsel; and first-years Abigail Helvering and Mickey Osthimer.

Joining Noriega’s tech and design team are Benjamin Pfister, stage manager; David Tidwell, scenery and lighting designer; Stefanie Genda, costume designer; and Chuck Findley, sound designer.

“We wanted to offer students an opportunity to work on and stage a classic text of theatre history,” said Noriega. “I have always admired ‘Life is a Dream’ and have waited for the chance to stage it. I appreciate all of the hard work and passion that everyone involved has brought to this production. The cast and crew are pleased to present this classic work, and hope that the audience enjoys the show as much as we do.”

Additional information about the production is available by phone (330-263-2541) or e-mail.