Welcome to the DePauw Theatre archives, where we invite you to explore the rich history of our past seasons. From thought-provoking dramas to vibrant musical productions, you can browse through years of student performances and creative milestones below.
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Natural Selection
Spring 2009
It’s the very near future and humans are coping with Earth’s devastation. People risk radiation poisoning when they step outdoors. Children attend virtual school. Friends interact via internet. Some populations, such as Native Americans, have been nearly eradicated, so representatives are displayed in “Cultural Pavilions.” In seeking a genuine Indian, curator Henry Carson encounters a most charismatic and unsettling Navajo, who soon teaches everyone a few things about tolerance and borders. A dark comedy that examines our blind dependence on technology, our isolation from each other, and our detachment from our own spirituality, Natural Selection, which premiered at Actors Theatre of Louisville in 2007, is being presented in conjunction with DePauw's ArtsFest 2008: Art & Borders. -
Tartuffe
Fall 2009
It is 1668, and Monsieur Orgon, a wealthy Parisian, has fallen under the spell of Tartuffe, a swindler who masquerades as a holy man. Although the other members of Orgon’s household see Tartuffe for what he really is, Orgon dismisses their concerns and recklessly lavishes on his “holy” friend money, possessions--even his daughter in marriage. Meanwhile, Tartuffe lies, cheats, steals and does his best to seduce Orgon’s wife. By the time Orgon finally recognizes his folly, it could be too late to save his fortune and his family! Moliere’s comic masterpiece so brilliantly skewers religious hypocrites that the play, when first introduced to Paris audiences, was banned for five years. Described as a “delightful romp,” Tartuffe is acknowledged as one of the greatest comedies of Western literature. -
The Who's TOMMY
Spring 2009
The Who's Tommy is a musical based on the rock opera Tommy, written and recorded by the 1960's band The Who. The story follows the rise of the title character, Tommy, from a traumatizing childhood event that leaves him psychosomatically deaf, dumb and blind through an abusive adolescence to stardom as a world champion pinball player. This mythic tale of a young boy's journey from pain to triumph includes such classic rock singles as "See Me, Feel Me" and "Pinball Wizard" and promises to be one of the most electrifying evenings of rock and roll ever to play in the theatre. -
Children of Eden
Spring 2008
From the composer of Wicked and Godspell comes the telling of epic stories from Genesis told through music. In Children of Eden, Stephen Schwartz brings us the relationship of God with Eve and Adam, and the trials facing Noah's family in The Flood, in songs such as "Lost in the Wilderness", "In Whatever Time We Have," and "Spark of Creation." These tales of struggle and hope remind us that we are all still "children of Eden." -
Einstein and the Roosevelts
Fall 2008
Written by the Broadway award-winning team and DePauw alumni Nancy Ford ('57) and Gretchen Cryer ('57), Einstein and the Roosevelts is the premiere of an inventive musical presenting some lesser-known history of one of America’s most influential couples. The story takes place at an after-life birthday party thrown for Eleanor in the cosmos to which Albert Einstein has been invited to provide entertainment with a violin that summons up moments from the past. The production's imaginative revelation of buried secrets and passions promises to both entertain and educate by combining history and whimsy to illuminate the characters' past choices surrounding love, marriage, and politics during wartime. -
Out Town
Spring 2008
In this age of cell phones, Internet and reality shows, Thornton Wilder's 1938 Pulitzer Prize-winning American classic reminds us to slow down, open our hearts and minds, and embrace the significance of our day-to-day experiences. Our Town is one of the most produced dramatic works of the 20th century, possibly because it so succinctly captures - with warmth and humor - the eternal truths of human existence. -
Twelfth Night
Fall 2008
“If music be the food of love, play on….” So begins one of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies. Part love story, part high jinks, part philosopher’s musings, and part intrigue, Twelfth Night examines gender, practical joking, and the nature of true love, making us wonder if clothes really do make the man. Collaboratively created with live music, imaginative costumes, and fast-paced hilarity, this show is a joyful romp with a romantic and moving climax. -
Inherit the Wind
Spring 2007
Based on the famous "monkey trial" courtroom battle between lawyers Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan during the sultry summer of 1925 in Dayton, Tennessee, this American classic weaves the gripping story of the prosecution of high school teacher John T. Scopes for his teaching of Darwin's theory of evolution against state law. Inherit the Wind has riveted stage and film audiences for over 50 years with its compelling depiction of the ongoing debate of creationism vs. evolution.