Student Production presents Renaissance classic, The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus
WHAT: Student Production in the Herberger College of Fine Arts at ASU presents The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, the classic tale of man and his search for limits of human knowledge. As one of Christopher Marlowe's better-known plays, Doctor Faustus examines the age-old question of man's role in the universe.
Student Production is a student-driven organization within the Department of Theatre that is dedicated to bringing student work to life on stage.
WHEN: April 28-30, 2002 at 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: The Student Laboratory Theatre at the Prism, 851 E. Tyler Street in the Ritter Building on the ASU campus (northwest corner of Terrace and Rural, just south of University Drive).
TICKETS:$3 available at the door only.
INFORMATION: 480-727-7877
Christopher Marlowe's classic The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus is the quintessential tale of a man, his soul and the devil. Faustus has had his fill of physics, mathematics, philosophy and divinity, and so quests to find the greater answers to life. Faustus courts the vile Mephistopheles and the Prince of Hell into exchanging his soul for 24 years on earth as the greatest magician in the world, which leads in turn to both comic exploits and solemn dilemmas of faith and morality.
Marlowe puts a twist on the Everyman plays of medieval times casting his hero Doctor John Faustus as a figure that pushes the boundaries too far for human experience and is therefore forced to choose between repentance or eternal damnation.
Director Amanda Kochert has found this tale of Faustus and his struggle between good and evil so compelling and inspiring that she has dedicated seven years of her life to the study of this classic legend as retold by Marlowe. "This is one of this best plays ever written for the stage," she says, "it has motivated me, inspired me and fascinated me from the first time I read it."
Apart from exploring the complex relationships between man and God, Kochert also hopes to influence audiences to expand their experiences with classical works. On many campuses throughout the nation, Shakespearean plays are performed in festivals, classrooms and on mainstages, while other important classical works are ignored and forgotten. By presenting the play of Faustus, Kochert hopes to open the eyes of audiences and give them a taste of other valuable plays in the Renaissance era that have helped shaped the history of the theatre.
The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus closes the Student Production Spring 2002 Season, which has already enjoyed much success with a range of original and published works, including Sam Sheppard's True West, Aaron Sorkin's Hidden in This Picture, and student written Endless Deep and Closer Still by AJ Morales.
Media Contact:
Megan Krause
480-965-8795
megan.krause@asu.edu