New season of Theatre Arts productions kicks off with “The Toxic Avenger,” a campy superhero comedy based on the ’80s cult classic
A new academic year brings an all-new lineup of exciting plays and musicals for the Theatre Arts department to dive into and for theatregoers to enjoy. This year, Theatre Arts will present “The Toxic Avenger,” “Language of Angels,” and “The Old Man and the Old Moon,” three very different shows that are sure to challenge and delight student performers and audience members alike.
Kicking off with “The Toxic Avenger” will start the season on a fun and playful note. The campy show, which has often been compared to “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Little Shop of Horrors,” is equal parts over-the-top comedy and social commentary. The show tells the story of Toxie, née Melvin Ferd the Third, an aspiring earth scientist who falls into a vat of toxic waste during his quest to clean up the pollution problem in New Jersey. Melvin emerges with superhuman strength and a mutant body and is deemed “Toxie” by the blind librarian he is in love with.
Set to a unique rock score written by Bon Jovi’s David Bryan, “The Toxic Avenger” is a superhero tale complete with love, evil villains, and revenge. The show will have four evening performances Wednesday, Sept. 27−Saturday, Sept. 30, and one matinee performance on Sunday, Oct. 1. The show will be directed by Professor of Theatre Arts Michael Hannah. “The Toxic Avenger” includes adult themes and is not suitable for children.
“Language of Angels,” the second show of the season, will take a sharp narrative and thematic turn from “The Toxic Avenger,” bringing an eerie North Carolina-based ghost story to the stage. This tale is set in the caves of North Carolina, where a young girl was lost never to be found again. Throughout the one-act show the missing girl’s friends go on a psychological journey as they navigate feelings of guilt, fear, and the unknown. Told in the Japanese theatre style, Noh, “Language of Angels” presents a unique educational experience for Theatre Arts students as it explores advanced themes and complex characters.
“Language of Angels” will be performed each evening, Wednesday, Nov. 15 through Saturday, Nov. 18. The show will be directed by guest director Elisabeth Bokhoven, giving students an opportunity to experience the techniques and process of a new director.
The final show of the year will be “The Old Man and the Old Moon,” a whimsical, fairytale-like show about the caretaker of the moon, an old man who fills it with liquid light each night. When the old man’s wife goes missing, he must go on a journey to find her, facing his fears and breaking out of the restrictive routine he has been living within his whole life. The show has a storybook feel that comes to life on stage as actors create illusions, control puppets, and play instruments to create the beautiful, folky soundscape to which the production is set.
Suitable for all ages, “The Old Man and the Old Moon” is a story about the power of love and offers something for the whole family to enjoy. The show will be directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts Joshua Yoder and will be performed during the Spring 2024 semester. Specific dates and times for all performances of “The Old Man and the Old Moon” to be announced.
