Gainesville, Fla. -- Clybourne Park is a wickedly funny, entertainingly provocative, and fiercely intelligent play about race, real estate, and the volatile values of each, and won nearly every honor the theatre has to offer, including the Olivier Award, the Evening Standard Award, and the Pulitzer Prize. Broadway’s hottest ticket will have all of Gainesville talking!
Director of the University of Florida School of Theatre and Dance Dr. Jerry Dickey said, “The School of Theatre and Dance is thrilled to be presenting such a fabulous play with such a fabulous partner. Clybourne Park is one of those rare plays that is both immensely funny and deeply poignant. The play is especially dear to our hearts because an alumnus of our school, John Pinckard (BFA 1998), was one of the Tony Award-winning coproducers of the play on Broadway. It’s just a treat to be co-presenting the play for Gainesville audiences with the Hippodrome. Our partnership with The Hipp on Avenue Q the summer before last proved immensely successful, and Clybourne Park promises more of the same.”
In discussing the Hippodrome’s partnership with UF School of Theatre and Dance, Director Ralf Remshardt said, “Our current partnership with Clybourne Park (the second after last summer’s Avenue Q) is a great move in the right direction, as is the closer integration of some of our graduate actors through acting internships. UF School of Theatre and Dance is a member of the University/Resident Theatre Association (URTA), a collection of premium actor training programs. Our affiliation with the Hippodrome is a very important part of our membership in that organization, and a great recruiting tool when we talk to prospective candidates for our MFA program.”
Hippodrome Artistic Director Lauren Caldwell said, “The Hippodrome is delighted to venture into our second partnership with the University of Florida School of Theatre and Dance, and we are so proud to open our 42nd season with our next adventure - Clybourne Park. Clybourne Park is an intriguing story that created an international discussion around the conflicts and social challenges faced in the story, all of which are surrounded by hysterically funny antics. The word collaboration is so important in the arts, and I wonder if we as a society have found a way to collaborate with one other no matter social standing, race, religion, or any other beliefs. Clybourne Park raises many of these difficult questions. I would like to think it could help us all learn to collaborate - not only on the stage, but in life as well.”
Clybourne Park cast (in alphabetical order): Sean Cancellieri, Emily Green, Javon Johnson, Matthew Lindsay*, Christopher Swan*, Stephanie Lynge* and Oluchi Nwokocha. Set design by Mihai Ciupe, Costume Design by Marilyn Wall, Lighting Design by Robert P. Robins, Sound Design by Amanda Yanes, Stage Managed by Amber Wilkerson*. *Donotes member of the Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Matheson Museum Exhibit in the Hippodrome Gallery
Inspired by the Hippodrome Theatre and UF School of Theatre and Dance’s September performance Clybourne Park, the Matheson Museum will present an exhibit that features the stories of segregation and integration in Gainesville with an emphasis on some of the key events that took place in Gainesville between the 1950s and 1970s. The exhibit will talk about the physical boundaries that separated African American neighborhoods from white neighborhoods, as well as the social and legal boundaries that separated public businesses, facilities, and schools. The exhibit will include the perspectives and experiences of Gainesville’s diverse growing population.
About the Hippodrome Theatre
As a cornerstone of Gainesville’s robust cultural life, the Hippodrome has a legacy of providing the very best in artistic excellence through programming on the mainstage, cinema, special events, and its award-winning education program. The Hippodrome serves hundreds of thousands of audience members each year, and is proud to provide educational and entertainment opportunities to thousands of young people annually. The committment of the community to the Hippodrome’s artists, designers, educators, adminstrators, and interns shows through the longstanding relationship that the Hippodrome holds with the people of Gainesville and beyond.
About the University of Florida School of Theatre + Dance
The School of Theatre + Dance is one of the University of Florida College of the Arts’ three fully 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 theaters, including the Constans Theatre, Black Box 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 Matheson Museum
The Matheson Museum was founded in 1994 and manages an historical complex which includes a history museum, an historic 1857 house, a tool museum, a native botanical garden, and an event and archival facility. The Matheson Museum’s mission is to preserve and interpret the history and culture of Alachua County and its environs through the collection, stewardship, and exhibition of archival materials, works of art and artifacts. The museum educates citizens of all ages and backgrounds, engaging their minds through an array of exhibitions, special events and learning opportunities. The museum brings history to life so that citizens of today can learn from the experiences of Floridians of the past.
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