Theatre department expands Mainstage Series offerings with ‘New Works Now!’

The Department of Theatre and Dance will open its 2021-22 Walter Gloor Mainstage Series in October with a brand-new production, “New Works Now!”

Performance dates and times are Oct. 1 and Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m., and Oct. 3 at 2 p.m., in the Alice E. Bartlett Theatre in Rockefeller Arts Center.

The show is fully produced and run by the students and will consist of original plays written by students and original dance works choreographed by students, with vignettes in between the individual productions. It will be hosted by student Yuwan Ilano/Fallon Angel, who has created some original pieces for the show.

“This is a way to give students a chance to produce works that they themselves have created,” Department of Theatre and Dance Acting Chair Todd Proffitt said. “The goal is to give all our students more performance opportunities as part of the Walter Gloor Mainstage Series.”

“The goal is to give all our students more performance opportunities as part of the Walter Gloor Mainstage Series,” Department of Theatre and Dance Acting Chair Todd Profitt.

Proffitt serves as co-director with Anthony M. Alterio, assistant professor of dance and Daniel Lendzian, theatre and dance lecturer. Proffitt oversees the technical aspects of the production while Alterio is mentoring the Dance works and Lendzian is mentoring the theater works. 

The dance works include:

 “Glitch,” by Emma Voit, which is described as “an exploration on gender through the lens of technology. Like technology, the system of gender is fallible and prone to breaking.”

“Mad World” by Olivia Soto, a performance piece about “how each and every life gets shifted; both comedically and dramatically.”

The theater works include:

 “Closing” by Shawn Adiletta, which explores the limits of friendship, honesty, and trust.

“The Things We Know” is a piece by Sarah Zwieghaft about a struggling actor who just wants to achieve his dreams.

Tickets for “New Works Now!” are available through the Fredonia Ticket Office in the Williams Center, online and by phone at 716-673-3501. It is presented as part of the 2021-22 Lake Shore Savings Season.

Masks are required for all audience members, regardless of vaccination status, and must be worn at all times while in the building and the theater.