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Hilberry Theatre 2007-2008 Season |
Opening the Hilberry Theatre 2007-08 season is The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) by Jess Borgeson, Adam Long and Daniel Singer. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) is a mix of pratfalls, puns, willful misreading of names and dialogue, clunky female impersonations, clean-cut ribaldry, and broad burlesque. The works of 37 plays and 154 sonnets by William Shakespeare will be presented in this record-breaking hit. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) will play in rotating repertory October 5 – December 15, 2007.
The second production is The Lusty and Comical History of Tom Jones by John Morrison. Audiences take a journey through the life of Tom Jones, a young man of questionable birth who has been raised as the son of a member of the minor gentry, only to fall prey to the cruelties of his malicious cousin and the wiles of the neighboring heiress. This production is a comical adaptation of Henry Fielding’s novel, The History of Tom Jones: A Foundling also known as Tom Jones. The Lusty and Comical History of Tom Jones plays in rotating repertory October 26, 2007 – January 26, 2008.
The Hilberry will bring in 2008 with Biloxi Blues by Neil Simon. Leaving home for the first time, Eugene Morris Jerome finds himself in the midst of life’s trials and tribulations for the first time, alone and at boot camp. As he trains for the war ahead, Eugene tries to understand his reactions to what is happening around him while he confronts his own dreams. Warm your heart with this compelling comedy that teaches Eugene what his place in the world can and should be. Biloxi Blues will play in rotating repertory November 16, 2007 – March 15, 2008.
“All the world’s a stage…” rings true in Shakespeare’s most loved comedy, and our fourth show of the season, As You Like It. When two brothers meet two sisters, a boy is turned into a man. Follow this romantic tale of forbidden love through one of Shakespeare’s most delightful female characters, Rosalind. This classic comedy of twists and turns offers a multitude of perspectives on the problems that still concern us today. As You Like It will play in rotating repertory January 11 – April 12, 2008.
Continuing the season is The Master Builder, Henrik Ibsen’s tragic meditation on love, betrayal, fear and desperation. This play tells the tale of an aging builder’s struggle to maintain his crumbling career while reaching out for the love of a beautiful woman. The Master Builder will play in rotating repertory February 22 – May 17, 2008.
Closing the Hilberry Theatre 2007-2008 season will be Compleat Female Stage Beauty by Jeffrey Hatcher. Having played female roles all his life, actor Edward Kynaston finds himself puzzled when the King forbids male actors in female roles on stage. This theatrical comedy, which was adapted into the movie Stage Beauty (starring Claire Danes and Billy Crudup), shows Edward transforming himself for the role he dreads most: being a man on stage and off. Watch as Edward stops being a stage beauty and starts being a leading man. Compleat Female Stage Beauty will play in rotating repertory April 4 – May 9, 2008.
Located in Detroit, Michigan and founded in 1963, the Hilberry Theatre is home to the nation’s only true graduate rotating repertory theatre. As Michigan’s most attended producing theatre, the Hilberry draws subscribers from not only Detroit and surrounding counties, but from as far away as Ohio and Canada. The rotating repertory style has established the Hilberry as a cultural institution in the heart of Detroit. Hilberry productions are designed, staffed, managed and performed by up-and-coming theatre professionals. The Hilberry has been honored with numerous awards by Detroit newspapers, including “Theatre of the Year” (The Detroit News), “Best Professional Theatre” (Between the Lines), “Best Play” and “Best Director” (The Detroit Free Press), “Best Overall Season 2003 – 2004” (The Oakland Press), as well as many individual awards for company members. According to The Detroit News, the Hilberry Theatre is “arguably the longest running, large-scale success story in Detroit drama.”
Over the years the Hilberry Theatre has responded to student, faculty and audience needs by continually assessing the number and types of plays presented in any given season. This annual discussion, referred to as “season selection,” is when the next season’s play titles are chosen by a panel of eighteen experts in the field using market data from the audience, the student population, other academic institutions and internal experts. In some years, the Hilberry presents as few as four plays and in other years as many as eight. The 2007 – 2008 season leans heavily toward comedy due to a trend required both by the course of academic growth and the academic track students are currently on, as well as audience demand.
The 2007-2008 season runs from October 5, 2007 through May 9, 2008. Subscription tickets are on sale beginning March 1. By becoming a subscriber, you have the opportunity to see all six productions for as low as $90, as well as receiving the many benefits offered only to subscribers. Student season subscriptions are available for $48. Student rush tickets are available for $10 on the day of the performance. Groups of 15 or more that are interested in seeing a production are eligible for special discounts. Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., with 2 p.m. matinees on select Wednesdays and Saturdays. Tuesday morning matinees are available for school groups interested in attending a performance. The Hilberry Theatre is located at 4743 Cass Avenue on the corner of Cass Avenue and Hancock in Detroit. The box office is open October through May, Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. To purchase tickets or for more information call the Wayne State University box office at (313) 577 – 2972 or visit our website at www.hilberry.com.
Play titles subject to change.