'Alice in Wonderland' leads Centre Stage's summer theater program

By NANETTE BITTING
Collegian Arts Writer

After a year in planning, the program schedule for Pennsylvania Centre Stage's tenth season was announced yesterday.

Centre Stage's 1995 seasons will include the fantasy Alice in Wonderland, comedies Greater Tuna and You Can't Take It With You, and the musical thriller Sweeney Todd.

"March Madness started last night in Rec Hall. Hopefully, we'll have June and July Madness in Centre Stage," said Lee Byron, producing director for Centre Stage.

The season opens with the children's classic Alice in Wonderland, adapted by Charles Turner and directed by Lewis Magruder (graduate-directing).

"This is our children's show, but we don't intend it to be just for children. We intend it for for adults, children -- everyone," Byron said.

Following the premiere of Alice in Wonderland on June 2, there will be a "Post-Jabberwocky Joviality," reception for all who attend.

On June 3, Centre Stage is colaborating with local businesses for Alice in Wonderland Downtown Day. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., characters from Alice in Wonderland will be strolling through State College to meet children.

"Many times when we're in the theater, we spend time trying to figure out what the show is about. We don't look at the title. This one is about Alice . . .in wonderland," Byron said.

Greater Tuna, by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard, and directed by John Neville-Andrews, is about the town Tuna, the third smallest town in Texas.

"The show is a send up of small towns in the South. There is a gimmick to the show. There are two people that play 20 characters," Byron said, adding that it is interesting to see an actor leave the stage only to come back 20 seconds later as another character.

Stephen Sondheim's musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, will be directed by Richard Stafford who directed last season's Evita. The plot of the Tony award-winning play about a barber who gets revenge by slitting people's throats and having his landlord serve them in her pies can be summed up in a song from the show -- "Who gets eaten and who gets to eat."

"It is filled with suspense and thrills and there is plenty of dark humor in it," Byron said.

The season will close with Kaufman and Hart's Pulitzer Prize-winning show,You Can't Take It With You. It will be directed by Carole Brandt, the former artistic director of Centre Stage.

"It seems appropriate to close the tenth season with one of our favorites, You Can't Take It With You. It also seemed proper to bring back another one of our favorites -- Carole Brandt," Byron said.

This play is set in New York City in the 1930s where a family finds joy in life in ways that make normal people jealous.

"They ignore taxes and cornflakes are their favorite food. But their meals are often interrupted by explosions in the basement as their father perfects fireworks," Byron said.

Centre Stage follows the suit of traditional regional theater as a place for amateurs and professionals to perfect their craft.

"I think it is the nature of regional theatre to give students a chance to interact with professionals as well as their peers," said Matt Miller, acting publicity coordinator for Centre Stage.

Increasing the number of students in its productions is one of the changes Centre Stage made during the past few years.

"Centre Stage is different now that we've gone back to using professionals with as many students as we can. That's one of the crucial parts about it -- allowing students to work with professionals and hone their craft," Byron said.

The biggest change in Centre Stage is the degree of community involvement, especially from members serving on the board, Byron said.

"The support from the community is enormous. Penn State supports Centre Stage in a great many ways, but we would not exist without the board," Byron said.

It is that involvement from the community and the University that allows Centre Stage to bring a form of summer stock to the area.

"I think it is excellent theater. There are plenty of laughs. There is something for everyone," Miller said.

Byron echoed Miller's sentiments.

"We're on course for a fabulous season this year. I hope everyone comes out and spends the summer with us. It will be June and July Madness."