RHINOCEROS ROAMS THE STAGE AT NKU!

“Life is an abnormal business.” - Eugène Ionesco

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – The Department of Theatre and Dance at Northern Kentucky University is performing the absurdist play Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco, in a new translation by Martin Crimp. The production runs from October 29 through November 8.

Rhinoceros is set in a world of absurdity, where irrational and illogical meet comedic and thought provoking. It centers around the character Bérenger (Nathan Tubbs) who is disinterested to find that rhinoceroses are loose in town. The rest of the townspeople find these sightings to be problematic and are determined to get to the bottom of the situation. Bérenger’s best friend Jean (Chris Wesselman) and his attractive secretary Daisy (Kate Kershaw) try reasoning with him but while doing this, shocking events result.

Daryl Harris, director of the Acclaim Award winning NKU production of Once On This Island, is excited to bring Rhinoceros to the stage at NKU. Harris has big plans to further expose the Tri-State area to The Theatre of the Absurd. With the opening weekend coinciding with the 50^th anniversary of Rhinoceros’s first production the audience will have the pleasure of experiencing the first United States amateur performance of the play’s newest translation -a translation that was first produced by the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre on 21 September 2007. Harris is honored to bring this script to life. Using Ionesco’s quote, “One can dare anything in the theatre, and it is the place where one dares the least” as a guiding force, Harris is happy to admit, “I finally found a kindred spirit.”

In choosing a cast, Harris wanted performers who had a clear understanding of the concepts of the Theatre of the Absurd. Rex Martinez (Dudard), Hayley Powell (Logician/Papillion), Sean Harkless (Old Gent/Botard), Katie Eichler (Waitress/Mme. Boeuf), and Romeo Seay (Grocer Man/Monsieur Jean) play a few of the essential supporting roles. There is also a special group of students playing the ever present “Mechanicals.” This group displays a style of clowning inspired by Comedia Del Artè and Bouffon to carry out a number of roles, commenting on the action and mood of the production. Sam Rueff, a mechanical, said “This show has had its share of challenges. In particular it has taught me that even in a scene where I don’t have any lines; my being engaged in the action of the scene is just as important as the dialogue being spoken by the leads.”  For those audience members lucky enough to witness the Pre-Show activities (7:30 & 2:30), it will be action, original music created and recorded for the show by the Breathairean Ensemble (www.breathairmusic.com) and not words alone that set the tone of this brilliantly absurd evening of theatre.

Rhinoceros runs Oct 29 – Nov 8 in NKU’s Stauss Theatre.

Show Times:

· 8pm show times Tuesday- Saturday

· 3pm matinees on Sundays

· Mondays there are no performances

Tickets:

Single ticket prices are as follows: Adult $12, Faculty/Staff/Alumni $11, Senior Citizen $10, Students (with valid ID from any school) $8.

*We also provide a group rate to parties of 10 or more at $7 per ticket.

To get more information and to buy tickets call the NKU Theatre & Dance Dept.’s Box Office @ 859.572.5464.

Box Office hours are Monday thru Friday, 12- 5pm.

www.breathairmusic.com