College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University

February 9, 2007

Character-driven play kicks off ISU Theatre's spring season
The battle in the latest Iowa State University Theatre production isn't between good and evil but rather emotion and reason.

In his award winning play "Arcadia," playwright Tom Stoppard explores those emotions while his characters discuss questions of science, art, history and even gardening.

"Stoppard has a lot to say in this play," says Jane Cox, professor in ISU Theatre and director of "Arcadia." "Individuals are pulled in one direction by their emotions while their reason tells them it would be a mistake to take a course of action. Stoppard explores the disconnect in people and how it plays out.

"Through all this it's real characters that explore this facet, both in the past and in the present," Cox continued. "This is not a play with car chases or explosions. It's very much a character-driven and character-based play where the characters have a lot to say and say it very well."

"Arcadia" is set in a single room in a large country house in Derbyshire, England, still owned by the same family. The scenes alternate between present day and the early 19th century until they converge in the final scene.

In the present day, the actors include two researchers who are attempting to discover whether the poet Lord Byron came to this house in 1809 and during his stay, fought and killed someone in a duel.

"One of the researchers is more interested in fame and money while the other researcher wishes to seek the actual truth of the event," Cox says.
Ironically the Lord Byron character never appears on stage.

"In fact two of the most influential characters in the action the audience never sees," Cox said. "In a lot of ways, Lord Byron drives everything in the script, only we never see him."

"Arcadia" will be performed by ISU Theatre Feb. 23-24 and March 2-3 at 7:30 p.m. in Fisher Theater. Two Sunday afternoon matinees (Feb. 25 and March 4) will be held at 2 p.m. Tickets are $13 for adults, $12 for senior citizens and $7 for students and are available at the Iowa State Center Box Office or through TicketMaster.

Stoppard's script was the winner of the 1995 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play.

Lead roles are played by Janae Hohbein and Philip Henry (in 1809) and Malary Harris and Ellis Wells (present day). Other actors are Gregory Duckett, Michael Rubke, Andy Birmingham, Lindsey Osborn, Don Watts, Kimberly Chelf, Jeff Mason and Jared Thompson.

Lead roles are played by Janae Hohbein and Philip Henry (in 1809) and Malary Harris and Ellis Wells (present day) in ISU Theatre's production of "Arcadia."