University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television announces 2023/24 Theatre Season

TUCSON, Ariz.- The University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television (TFTV) is excited to announce a unique and historic season of plays for the 2023/24 season. From October 2023, TFTV will invite audiences to the Tornabene Theatre and the newly renovated Marroney Theatre to watch the school’s emerging actors, designers, and technicians display their talents.

Leading the new season is the School’s new Head of Acting/Musical Theatre and new Arizona Repertory Theatre (ART) Artistic Director, Associate Professor Danny Gurwin. The renowned educator, director, and actor brings years of prominent stage and screen experience to the role. Gurwin’s Broadway credits include Little Women, Urinetown, The Full Monty, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and A Little Night Music among others, countless off-Broadway credits include Shakespeare’s R & J, Forbidden Broadway, A New Brain, The Thing About Men, and The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, while his television credits range from Law & Order to The Young and the Restless.

“What makes this performance season unique is that it marks some important milestones,” Gurwin said. “In the Spring of 2024, we reopen the renovated Marroney Theatre with a masterwork musical in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. We are also proud to present the deeply moving The Laramie Project, directed by my TFTV colleague Greg Pierotti, one of its authors and original cast members. Two other titles in this year’s line-up are currently running on Broadway. It’s truly an eclectic and exciting collection of plays, musicals, myths, comedies and classics. As ART’s new Artistic Director, I am beyond proud to share all of these notable shows with our audiences.”

ART, the public laboratory and showcase for TFTV’s professional actor training program, will present The Thanksgiving Play, Jesus Christ Superstar, Sweeney Todd, and Much Ado About Nothing. The Next Performance Collective, an initiative of the School’s Theatre Studies division, will present The Laramie Project (in collaboration with ART) and Argonautika, along with the third annual New Directions Festival. All productions will be supported by students in the BFA Design and Technical Production program.

Subscription packages for TFTV’s new theatre season are now on sale. Individual tickets will be available from August 23. More information is available at theatre.arizona.edu.

TFTV 2023/24 Theatre Season

The Laramie Project
OCTOBER 7 — 22, 2023 in the Tornabene Theatre
Directed by Greg Pierotti
by Moisés Kaufman and the Members of Tectonic Theater Project

In 1998, members of Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie, Wyoming to explore the town’s response to the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay university student. The result of that exploration is this play: a story about love, hate, hope, fear, and courage in an American town. Join us for the 25th anniversary presentation of a ground-breaking theatrical experience, directed by its original co-writer and performer.

The Thanksgiving Play
OCTOBER 8 – 22, 2023 in the Tornabene Theatre
Directed by Randy Reinholz
by Larissa FastHorse
“The Thanksgiving Play” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

When a troupe of really, really well-meaning theater artists attempt to put on a culturally sensitive Thanksgiving school pageant, things get messy. A wickedly funny satire from Larissa FastHorse.

Jesus Christ Superstar
NOVEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 3, 2023 in the Tornabene Theatre
Directed and Choreographed by Christie Kerr
Musical Direction by Jamie Reed
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber & Lyrics by Tim Rice
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Really Useful Group. www.concordtheatricals.com

A thrilling rock opera based on the last week of Jesus’ life, Jesus Christ Superstar has wowed audiences for over 50 years. The story, told entirely through song, explores the personal relationships and struggles between Jesus, Judas, Mary Magdalene, his disciples, his followers and the Roman Empire. The iconic 1970s rock score contains such well-known numbers as “Superstar,” “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” and “Gethsemane.” A true global phenomenon, Superstar continues to touch new generations of audiences and performers.

Sweeney Todd
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – A Musical Thriller
FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 17, 2024 in the Marroney Theatre
Directed by Danny Gurwin
Choreographed by Christie Kerr
Musical Direction by Jamie Reed
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Hugh Wheeler. From an Adaptation by Christopher Bond. Originally Directed on Broadway by Harold Prince. Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick. Originally Produced on Broadway by Richard Barr, Charles Woodward, Robert Fryer, Mary Lea Johnson, Martin Richards in Association with Dean and Judy Manos.
SWEENEY TODD is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

We reopen the Marroney Theatre with this dark, witty and Tony Award-winning tale of love, murder and revenge set against the backdrop of 19th century London.

Argonautika
MARCH 24 – APRIL 7, 2024 in the Tornabene Theatre
Directed by Tioni Collins
Written by Mary Zimmerman
Adapted from The Voyage of Jason and the Argonauts. Gaius Valerius Flaccus – Translated by David R. Slavitt.
Apollonius Rhodius – Translated by Peter Green.
World premiere by the Lookingglass Theatre Company, Chicago.

Mary Zimmerman’s mesmerizing play recounts the adventures of Jason and his crew aboard the Argo on a perilous mission to cross the forbidden ocean in a quest for the Golden Fleece.

Much Ado About Nothing
APRIL 14 – 28, 2024 in the Marroney Theatre
Directed by David Morden
by William Shakespeare

One of Shakespeare’s most beloved romantic comedies, Much Ado About Nothing tells the story of two very different couples fighting for love while battling matchmaking and manipulation.

New Directions Festival
MARCH 21 – 31, 2024 in the Harold Dixon Directing Studio
Note: The New Directions Festival is offered separately from the subscription season package.

Join us in the Spring for the third annual New Directions Festival. The Festival showcases 100% student-created, student-designed, and student-performed content, allowing BA students to tell their stories through voices that are uniquely their own.

Contact
Kerryn Negus
Director, Advancement and External Relations
School of Theatre, Film & Television
knegus@arizona.edu

IDIWS Sneak Peek: NOSTALGIATHON '99 by Cailan Compierchio. After losing their practice space, an inexperienced riot grrrl band's skills and friendships are tested as they attempt to throw an epic final show for their entire town.

"Going into this process, I knew I wanted to do something that was weird, funny, and featured strong female friendships (three phrases that also describe the past four years of my life here in Tucson)," reflected writer/director Cailan Compierchio . "Nostalgiathon '99 was conceived as a pastiche of 90s/early 2000s comedies, so a lot of those were huge influences. Stylistically, we were drawn to the aesthetics of skate videos and stoner buddy comedies. Narratively, we drew inspiration from large ensemble pieces of the time, like Clerks ('94), Dazed and Confused ('93), Slacker ('90), and Empire Records ('95). In terms of my broader career, the person who made me realize I wanted to be a writer was Tina Fey, and her work on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock."

Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat! ... See MoreSee Less

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IDIWS Sneak Peek: THE GRIT OF IT ALL by Alek Mendez. In 1988 Arizona, Detective James, a man struggling with past trauma, is assigned to investigate a grisly murder in “Las Sombras”, an abandoned western show town.

“Throughout my journey in film school, I’ve been drawn to narratives exploring complex human emotions and psychological themes. With ‘The Grit of It All,’ I wanted to harness those interests into something distinctly cinematic—a story about confronting trauma, guilt, and repressed emotion, layered beneath psychological horror. The film was more than just another assignment; it was an artistic pursuit where I could authentically showcase my voice and vision as a filmmaker,” says writer/director Alek Mendez.

Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat! ... See MoreSee Less

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IDIWS Sneak Peek: PARALLEL LINES by Neylani Castro. Two strangers repeatedly cross paths without noticing, until a brush between them unveils the invisible thread of their intertwined fates.

“I’ve always been a firm believer that everything we live through and every person we meet has a purpose, nothing is ever a coincidence. The concepts of fate, in-yun, the invisible string theory, and past lives have always intrigued me. Friendships, romantic relationships, and the family you are born into all consist of fate,” reflects writer/director Neylani Castro. “My dad is from Caimanero, Sinaloa. He was invited by his cousin to come to this retreat in Nogales, Sonora - 9 hours from where he lived. There he saw my mom for the first time. My dad says he felt a pull, a sort of magnetism towards my mom. At the end of the first day the new members were asked to pick out of a bowl who will be their guide for the rest of the retreat. When my dad picked out the paper, my mom’s name was written on it. My parents were two parallel lines, and when the time was right their fates intertwined.”

Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat! ... See MoreSee Less

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IDIWS Sneak Peek: THE GLASS PLANET by Gaël Baup. A young astronaut defies all odds to search for his long-lost father on a perilous, uncharted glass planet—an unforgiving world where no one has ever returned, and where he must confront both the planet’s dangers and the haunting mystery of his father’s disappearance.

"It was one of my dream films to make since I was 10 years old ... It is the most ambitious project I have made so far, we got to travel with my crew to Page, Arizona and make our own space suit and shoot in amazing locations with a crew and cast of 4 people," says writer/director Gaël Baup.

The short film version of THE GLASS PLANET will be premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025 - a feature length version is currently in production! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat! ... See MoreSee Less

IDIWS Sneak Peek: PIZZA GUY RETURNS by Philip D. Summers. A timid pizza delivery guy unknowingly interrupts a cult meeting and must fight for his survival as interdimensional chaos ensues.

"'Pizza Guy Returns' is a remake of the first short film I ever made: 'Pizza Guy'. When I was 15, my high school friends and I made the original film in my dad's garage with an iPhone 6 and old Halloween decorations. I decided to screen the film at a party later that year, and to my complete surprise, my friends and parents loved it. And from that moment on, I have been working on honing my skills as a writer, director, costumer, props master, set designer, and even actor both independently and through my BFA degree here at the U of A. Before I was even accepted into the BFA program, I knew EXACTLY which film I would make as my thesis: Pizza Guy...Returns! With the script pulling thematic inspiration from actual life events that I have endured and through the extreme dedication and creativity of my team, I have been able to bring my dream to life," says writer/director Philip D. Summers.

Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat! ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago

IDIWS Sneak Peek: PLAY PRETEND by Jordan Fouts. A down on her luck party princess is given one more chance to keep her job after a gig goes horribly wrong.

"For my thesis film, I wanted to tell a story that reflected something significant to my college experience. Being a party princess has been a major part of my journey at the University of Arizona - for the past three years I have been part of a student organization that strives to bring the type of performance seen in my film to children in our Southern Arizona community. But I knew my film couldn’t be just about bright colors and fancy ball gowns. I wanted it to speak to something deeper ... so in this film, through the lens of this party princess, I hope to celebrate the lesser known artist, the one who may not be the most recognized, but whose art has more value and impact on the people around them than they realize," says writer/director Jordan Fouts.

Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat! ... See MoreSee Less