The Santa Rosa Junior College Theater Arts program presents two musicals and two plays for the 2014-2015 season.
First up is “Prelude to a Kiss,” which runs Oct. 3-12. Rita and Peter are young twenty-somethings madly in love with each other. On the day of their wedding, an elderly man asks for a kiss from the bride. This allows the man to transfer his soul with hers. Playwright Craig Lucas wrote a funny, sexy comedy that also explores serious themes of aging and sickness in loved ones as Peter struggles to sustain his love for his wife when she’s in an unattractive body.
In order to put a greater emphasis on the characters and their interactions, the performance will be in Newman Auditorium, an intimate venue with limited use of props or lighting, instead of the usual Burbank Auditorium.
“The Phantom of the Opera” runs Nov. 21-Dec. 7. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous musical adaptation of the classic novel and one of the most successful productions in history borrows heavily from operatic tradition to tell the famous story of love, obsession and unforgettable music.
The actors trained under vocal director and professional opera singer Jody Benecke to prepare their roles. The theater department took creative steps to overcome the challenges of having a smaller stage and budget than Broadway, resulting in a unique production.
Music fans should see the SRJC Music departments’ midterm and final exams; individual classes will show their progress in ticketed performances. Midterms for this semester are Oct. 13-17, and finals are Dec. 8-12.
In addition to the fall semester, SRJC Theater has an early preview for spring. “American Night – the Ballad of Juan José” is a hilarious and thoughtful examination of what it means to be American. It runs March 6-15.
“Footloose,” the classic ‘80s movie adapted for stage, runs April 17-May 3. The end of spring sees the 2015 Dance Show, which runs May 8-10.
Admission for “Prelude” is $14 for students and seniors and $18 for general audiences. “Phantom” is $16 for students and seniors and $22 for general audiences. Current Associated Students Programs members get one free ticket.
Auditions are open to everyone interested regardless of major, and students can also work backstage building costumes or setting up lights in exchange for class units.
