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Home › News & Events › News › University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television presents HEAD OVER HEELS

University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television presents HEAD OVER HEELS

March 30, 2023
Cast of HEAD OVER HEELS, with Danny Bass (Musidorus) in center, during rehearsal. Photo by Tim Fuller

A hilarious, exuberant celebration of love

TUCSON, Ariz. – The School of Theatre, Film & Television (TFTV) is proud to present the bold new musical comedy Head Over Heels, onstage at the Tornabene Theatre at the University of Arizona from April 9th through 23rd. The fifth production in TFTV’s 2022/23 theatre season, Head Over Heels is a hilarious, exuberant celebration of love and exploration of identity from the visionaries that rocked Broadway with Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Avenue Q and Spring Awakening. The show follows the escapades of a royal family on an outrageous journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction, only to discover the key to their realm’s survival lies within each of their own hearts.

Head Over Heels weaves together a plot based on Sir Philip Sidney’s sixteenth-century romance The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia with songs by the 1980s all-woman rock band The Go-Go’s (“We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed”). It will be directed on our stage by TFTV Assoc. Professor Danny Gurwin.

“The action is set in the 16th century, offering many standard Renaissance features that we’ve turned on their heads,” says Gurwin. “There’s romance, parental oppression, death and resurrection, but the plot is emboldened by an acceptance of gender fluidity. It is a powerful message for our current day seen through the lens of an equally complex and political world of long ago.”

Danny Bass (BFA Musical Theatre, ’24) plays a lead character, the gender fluid Musidorus: “Head Over Heels is colorful, loud, and joyful, and unlike any show I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of. The cast and creative team have worked day in and day out to portray how freeing and fulfilling it is to explore your identity untethered to the expectations of society. I’ve learned so much about myself during this show, and I am confident that those watching will learn something about themselves as well.”

Alongside Bass, the cast includes Ashling Shockey (Mopsa), AJ Taylor (Pamela), Sophia Scarsi (Philoclea), Erin Rose McDaniel (Gynecia), John Henry Stamper (Basilius), Alex Simpson (Dametas), and Brach Drew (Pythio). They are joined by ensemble members James Carroll, Grace Gebara, Catherine Kim, John Henderson, Hannah Hufford, Holden Jones, Lillie Langston, Gemma Pedersen, Sydney Townsend, and Brennan Wood alongside pit singers Meghan Gray, Lily Grubert, Eliza Hitch, and Haiden Pederson.

Head Over Heels was conceived and the original book written by Jeff Whitty then adapted by James Magruder. This production will have ten performances between Apr. 9 – 23, 2023, including a special post-show discussion with cast and crew on Friday, April 21. Ticket discounts are available. This production qualifies for our newly announced free student ticket program.

What The University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television presents HEAD OVER HEELS

Where Tornabene Theatre, 1025 N Olive Rd, Tucson AZ 85719

When April 9-23, 2023, with preview performances April 9 and 12

Tickets theatre.arizona.edu/shows/head-over-heels

Produced by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing.

About the School of Theatre, Film & Television
The School of Theatre, Film & Television is a member of the Arizona Arts division at the University of Arizona. The school nurtures and develops artists and scholars via rigorous training and mentoring by dedicated faculty. Students have access to high-level internship, industry resources, and hands-on production experience. TFTV offers training programs to prepare students to succeed in a wide range of careers – in the industry, the arts, and higher education. Each year students can showcase their talents and tell compelling stories onstage, on the screen, and more. TFTV regularly ranks in The Wrap’s “Top 50 Film Schools” and Onstage’s “Top 30 College Theatre Design & Tech Programs.”

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

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We're proud to share that TFTV Assoc. Professors Yuri Makino and Michael Mulcahy have been selected for the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy Fellows Program to support their films on healthcare and climate change respectively. The program, which supports around four projects annually, offers Fellows a semester off from teaching to allow for scholarship and the pursuit of additional funding for research projects potentially impactful to public policy.

Makino’s feature-length documentary, AMERICA’S HEALTH: WELCOME TO THE GAME, spotlights a number of communities that are restoring healthcare to its original mission by taking control away from entities designed to profit from sickness. She is co-producing and co-directing alongside local filmmaker Christine Harland.

Mulcahy’s documentary series, MAKING ARIZONA, consists of video portraits of a range of Arizonans who are demonstrating a resilient response to the effects of global climate change, particularly drought, fire, and extreme heat.

Read more about their films and their goals here:
tftv.arizona.edu/news/tftv-faculty-selected-for-udall-center-fellows-program-to-support-films-on-...
... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago
Were proud to share that TFTV Assoc. Professors Yuri Makino and Michael Mulcahy have been selected for the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy Fellows Program to support their films on healthcare and climate change respectively. The program, which supports around four projects annually, offers Fellows a semester off from teaching to allow for scholarship and the pursuit of additional funding for research projects potentially impactful to public policy.

Makino’s feature-length documentary, AMERICA’S HEALTH: WELCOME TO THE GAME, spotlights a number of communities that are restoring healthcare to its original mission by taking control away from entities designed to profit from sickness. She is co-producing and co-directing alongside local filmmaker Christine Harland.

Mulcahy’s documentary series, MAKING ARIZONA, consists of video portraits of a range of Arizonans who are demonstrating a resilient response to the effects of global climate change, particularly drought, fire, and extreme heat. 

Read more about their films and their goals here:
https://tftv.arizona.edu/news/tftv-faculty-selected-for-udall-center-fellows-program-to-support-films-on-healthcare-and-climate-change/Image attachment
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Big round of applause for Robbie Voigt (BA Theatre Studies, '22) who has been accepted into the Musical Theatre Master of Fine Arts program at LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art). Among the first to be selected for the program, Voigt will move to London to commence his studies in September. 👏👏

"'Are you ready for this?' That was the first thing I asked myself when applying for LAMDA, and the last thing the audition panel asked before I left my callback. The answer is a resounding yes. I am thrilled to be furthering my studies at one of the most recognized drama schools in the world." says Voigt. "I would like to acknowledge my mentors Philip Bennett, Eric Ashley, and the incredible faculty I encountered while at TFTV: Greg Pierotti, Claire Mannle, Brent Gibbs, and of course, Wolfe Bowart. All of them saw something in me, and each one of them had a hand in getting me where I am today."

While studying at TFTV, Voigt appeared in multiple Next Performance Collective and Studio Series productions, including the first annual New Directions Festival, 'From the Fishbowl' and 'Sinkers'. On screen, Robbie starred in several films including 'Punchline', a dark comedy directed by James Valacich (BFA Film & Television, ’22) that premiered at I Dream in Widescreen. Also active in the Tucson theatre scene, Voigt most recently appeared in 'One Twig at a Time', the magical physical theatre production by Wolfe Bowart, at The Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre .

Congratulations, Robbie! Bear down!
... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago
Big round of applause for Robbie Voigt (BA Theatre Studies, 22) who has been accepted into the Musical Theatre Master of Fine Arts program at LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art). Among the first to be selected for the program, Voigt will move to London to commence his studies in September. 👏👏

Are you ready for this? That was the first thing I asked myself when applying for LAMDA, and the last thing the audition panel asked before I left my callback. The answer is a resounding yes. I am thrilled to be furthering my studies at one of the most recognized drama schools in the world. says Voigt. I would like to acknowledge my mentors Philip Bennett, Eric Ashley, and the incredible faculty I encountered while at TFTV: Greg Pierotti, Claire Mannle, Brent Gibbs, and of course, Wolfe Bowart. All of them saw something in me, and each one of them had a hand in getting me where I am today.

While studying at TFTV, Voigt appeared in multiple Next Performance Collective and Studio Series productions, including the first annual New Directions Festival, From the Fishbowl and Sinkers. On screen, Robbie starred in several films including Punchline, a dark comedy directed by James Valacich (BFA Film & Television, ’22) that premiered at I Dream in Widescreen. Also active in the Tucson theatre scene, Voigt most recently appeared in One Twig at a Time, the magical physical theatre production by Wolfe Bowart, at  The Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre .

Congratulations, Robbie! Bear down!
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Congratulations Robbie!

Now that is damn good news!! Robbie has been a joy to teach.

Congratulations

Congrats!

YOU GOT THIS ,KIDO!

Love to see a fellow BA doing big things!

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Four TFTV films have been selected to screen at the Student World Impact Film Festival (SWIFF), taking place June 18-25. This year the festival attracted 13,000 submissions from 120 countries. The festival lineup was chosen by a team of fellow film students located across the country from NYU to Chapman.

The officially selected films are:

• THE SUN ROOM, directed by Chloe Shafer
• DESIRE TO FLY, directed by Oral McKinley Sledge and Olivia P Hocker
• GREEK ALPHABET MAFIA, directed by Preston Kersting and Fiona Paskoff
• AT 7, directed by Tatum Sailors

Congratulations, TFTV filmmakers!
... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago
Four TFTV films have been selected to screen at the Student World Impact Film Festival (SWIFF), taking place June 18-25. This year the festival attracted 13,000 submissions from 120 countries. The festival lineup was chosen by a team of fellow film students located across the country from NYU to Chapman. 

The officially selected films are:

• THE SUN ROOM, directed by Chloe Shafer
• DESIRE TO FLY, directed by Oral McKinley Sledge and Olivia P Hocker
• GREEK ALPHABET MAFIA, directed by Preston Kersting and Fiona Paskoff
• AT 7, directed by Tatum Sailors

Congratulations, TFTV filmmakers!
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Last weekend, Tatum Sailors' documentary AT 7 screened at the Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival (LAICFF). AT 7 follows Harrison, a 7-year-old boy grappling with everyday life as a Type One diabetic. The film premiered at What's Up, Docs? in December 2022. Missed it? Watch the film on our YouTube page: youtu.be/PyYTTrJJo04!

Sailors was present for the screening of her film at LAICFF and participated in a Q&A afterwards, where she took questions about her filming and editing process and had the opportunity to talk about her fiction film MAYBE SOMEDAY, which premiered earlier this month at Magic Hour. It's A Worm's World, the short doc by Kaleigh Brown and Jason Lee, was also selected to screen at LAICFF.

Congratulations, Tatum, Kaleigh and Jason! We look forward to seeing what you all do next!
... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
Last weekend, Tatum Sailors documentary AT 7 screened at the Los Angeles International Childrens Film Festival (LAICFF). AT 7 follows Harrison, a 7-year-old boy grappling with everyday life as a Type One diabetic. The film premiered at Whats Up, Docs? in December 2022. Missed it? Watch the film on our YouTube page: https://youtu.be/PyYTTrJJo04! 

Sailors was present for the screening of her film at LAICFF and participated in a Q&A afterwards, where she took questions about her filming and editing process and had the opportunity to talk about her fiction film MAYBE SOMEDAY, which premiered earlier this month at Magic Hour. Its A Worms World, the short doc by Kaleigh Brown and Jason Lee, was also selected to screen at LAICFF.

Congratulations, Tatum, Kaleigh and Jason! We look forward to seeing what you all do next!
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Great stuff.

🌟 We are so proud to share the BFA Acting & Musical Theatre Showcase of 2023.

The Showcase comprises a curated set of songs, scenes, and monologues performed by our graduating class of BFA Acting/Musical Theatre majors.

On April 25th the filmed edition of Showcase 2023 was made available via an exclusive platform for viewing by thousands of agents, casting directors, and other industry professionals across the U.S. and Canada – an invaluable opportunity for our emerging artists.

Watch the full Showcase online now at showcase.tftv.arizona.edu!

Congratulations seniors! We look forward to seeing what you do next. Bear down!

📷: Julius Schlosburg
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4 weeks ago
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So fantastic!

Brilliant!!

Tomorrow night! Show your support for the next generation of theatre and film & television creators at the Stories Travel screening at the CCP.

Stories Travel is TFTV’s high school outreach program supported by the Provost’s Investment Fund. Over the course of this semester, UA Instructors have been mentoring Flowing Wells High School students, empowering them to develop their artistic voices via a variety of storytelling methods.

Join us for this final presentation, where we’ll see examples of the work the students have created around the themes of time, place, and change.

FREE | Thursday May 11 at 6pm | Creative Photography Auditorium

This photo is from a recent campus visit by the Flowing Wells students.
... See MoreSee Less

4 weeks ago
Tomorrow night! Show your support for the next generation of theatre and film & television creators at the Stories Travel screening at the CCP.

Stories Travel is TFTV’s high school outreach program supported by the Provost’s Investment Fund. Over the course of this semester, UA Instructors have been mentoring Flowing Wells High School students, empowering them to develop their artistic voices via a variety of storytelling methods.

Join us for this final presentation, where we’ll see examples of the work the students have created around the themes of time, place, and change.

FREE | Thursday May 11 at 6pm | Creative Photography Auditorium

This photo is from a recent campus visit by the Flowing Wells students.
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School Of Theatre, Film & Television

Theatre

P.O. BOX 210003
1025 N Olive Rd.
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Tucson, AZ 85721-0003

Email: theatre@cfa.arizona.edu

Phone: (520) 621-7008

Fax: (520) 621-2412

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845 N Park Ave.
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Tucson, AZ 85721-0158b

Email: ftvinfo@cfa.arizona.edu

Phone: (520) 621-7352

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