The University of Florida (UF) School of Theatre + Dance is pleased to present The Golden Dragon, a play written by Roland Schimmelpfennig, translated by David Tushingham and directed by Professor Ralf Remshardt. The show runs Oct. 1-11, 2015 in the Black Box Theatre located in the Nadine McGuire Theatre and Dance Pavilion on UF’s campus. Performance times are 7:30 p.m. October 1-2 and October 6-10, and at 2 p.m. October 4 and October 11. Tickets are $13 for UF students, $15 for UF faculty/staff and senior citizens, and $18 for the general public.
The setting of The Golden Dragon includes the sweaty kitchen of a Pan Asian restaurant, the dining room within the restaurant and various apartments in the building where the restaurant is housed. The surrealistic play explores issues of globalization and the plight of undocumented immigrant workers. Five actors play various roles ranging from a young Chinese immigrant to flight attendants to a couple dealing with relationship problems. Remshardt has also created a new character, the Foley Artist, who will provide sound effects and serve as a commentator on the events of the play.
“Part of the ambition is to reverse the conventional expectation that students and patrons have about theatre,” says Remshardt. “I want to make people see that realistic theatre is actually over the full duration of theatrical history, an exception. The norm is an appeal to the imagination and the enfranchisement of the audience’s ability to participate and to get into the theatrical fiction, play with it and to be played with.”
Remshardt has directed past School of Theatre + Dance productions including Never the Sinner, Big Love, The Bacchae and Clybourne Park in a co-production with the Hippodrome Theatre. The cast of The Golden Dragon includes Grace Abele, Chris Alfonso, Ernest Briggs, Amanda Hayter, Jeremy Martinez and Mallory Steffes.
The Golden Dragon had its U.S. premiere during the 2011-2012 season at the Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C., directed by Serge Seiden and with a cast of film and television actors such as Noah Galvin, Peter Kim, K.K. Moggie and Welker White, as well as stage actor Stephen Duff Webber.
“The Golden Dragon has an enigmatic allure, in its desire to illuminate sequestered corners of the culture. And with its inventive shape-shifting, the play presents nifty opportunities for protean actors to strut their stuff.” – Peter Marks, Washington Post
Tickets for the UF production are $18 for the general public, $15 for UF faculty/staff and seniors, and $13 for students. Season and group prices are also available. Tickets are available through the University Box Office located at Gate 1 of the Stephen C. O'Connell Center, by calling 352-392-1653 or at ticketmaster.com. The University Box Office is open Tuesdays through Fridays 12-5:30 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased at the Constans Theatre Box Office starting 45 minutes prior to the performance.
The Nadine McGuire Theatre and Dance Pavilion is located at 687 McCarty Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611. On-campus parking is available at the Reitz Union garage and the Museum Road parking lot. Guests are strongly encouraged to pick up tickets early, as shows run the risk of being sold out.
About the School of Theatre + Dance
The School of Theatre + Dance is one of the University of Florida College of the Arts’ institutionally-accredited schools. Undergraduate students can pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting, dance, musical theatre, theatre production—including costume design, lighting design and scenic design—or a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance studies or general theatre. Minors are also offered in dance and theatre as well as certificates in arts in medicine and dance in healthcare. Student organizations, showcase programs and other intensives provide students with invaluable professional experiences. UF is home to three School of Theatre + Dance performance venues, including the Constans Theatre, Black Box Theatre and G-6 Studio. To learn more about the School of Theatre + Dance, including upcoming performance dates and ticket information, visit www.arts.ufl.edu/theatreanddance.
About the College of the Arts
The College of the Arts is one of the 16 colleges and more than 150 research centers and institutes at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. The College of the Arts offers baccalaureate, master’s and Ph.D. degree programs in its three institutionally-accredited schools — the School of Art + Art History, School of Music and School of Theatre + Dance. The college is home to the Center for Arts in Medicine, Center for Arts and Public Policy, Center for World Arts, Digital Worlds Institute, University Galleries and the New World School of the Arts in Miami. More than 100 faculty members and approximately than 1,200 students work together daily to engage, inspire and create. The college hosts more than 300 performances, exhibitions and events each year. Faculty and students also exhibit and perform at other local, national and international venues. To learn more, visit www.arts.ufl.edu.
# # #
Media Contact
Leah Spellman, APR, Public Relations and Marketing Manager
University of Florida College of the Arts
Office: 352.273.1489 | Cell: 904.419.3346
lspellman@arts.ufl.edu
