SUU Theatre Students Produce Socio-Political Play as Russia Invades Ukraine
Published: March 14, 2022 | Author: Ashley H Palmer | Read Time: 3 minutes
SUU’s Department of Theatre, Dance, and Arts Administration will present Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and her Children, one of the greatest anti-war plays of all time, set on the Randall L. Jones Theatre on March 17, 18, 19, and 21, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee performance on March 19, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Please be advised that this production contains strong language. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for alumni with card, and $5 for youth. SUU faculty/staff (and one guest) and students can attend for free with a valid ID card. Tickets can be purchased at the America First Event Center Box Office, at the door the night of the performance, or online at www.suu.edu/arts.
TJ Horton, senior Interdisciplinary Studies Psychology and Theatre major from West Valley City, Utah, shares, “The author of Mother Courage and her Children, Bertolt Brecht, wrote what he called ‘dialectical’ theater, plays that seek to have a conversation with the audience about socio-political topics. It is more commonly known as epic theater. He wrote a great deal of theory on how this kind of performance should be executed and we have been learning how to put Brechtian techniques into practice. It’s unlike any kind of theater I’ve ever done!”
Mother Courage and her Children is about a family and the effects of war on their family. With the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, this story is more timely than ever. In addition to the performances, there are two events to help audiences better understand Brecht. The first will be held Friday, March 18, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. in the Randall L. Jones Theatre where Dr. Corey Twitchell will talk on Brecht's history. The presentation is titled "A German Hero? Brecht Before, During & After Exile". The next will be Monday, March 21, 2022 immediately following the show in the Randall L. Jones Theatre. There will be a discussion with Dr. Scott Knowles and Dr. Corey Twitchell titled "Brechtian Aesthetics: A conversation".
Horton goes on to say, “Bertolt Brecht wrote this play in 1939, right at the outbreak of World War II. The conversation Mother Courage has with its audience is about the faulty systems that perpetuate war, wartime values, injustice, and capitulation (to name a few). As of writing this response Russia is in the fourth day of its full scale invasion of the nation Ukraine. In light of the historic atrocities that are being committed in Europe right now this is an incredibly important conversation to have, and I see our play as an earnest attempt to approach this subject and prompt a dialogue about it with our Cedar City community. Come talk with us!”
Experience Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and her Children on March 17, 18, 19, and 21, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee performance on March 19, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. For more information about arts events at SUU, please visit www.suu.edu/arts.
About the College of Performing and Visual Arts
The College of Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) at Southern Utah University comprises 26 academic programs including liberal arts (BA/BS) and professional (BFA, BM, BMEd) degrees in art, design, dance, music, and theatre. It includes graduate programs in the fields of arts administration (MFA, MA), music education (MME), and music technology (MM). More than 60 full-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 900 majors in the College. CPVA presents over 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year and is affiliated with the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), Utah Shakespeare Festival, and the Center for Shakespeare Studies. Southern Utah University is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) making SUU the first public university in the state of Utah to be accredited by all four associations. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, visit www.suu.edu/pva.Tags: Theatre Arts and Dance College of Performing and Visual Arts