julia ashworth

Four Faculty Members Won Prestigious Awards at the Annual University Conference; Three Faculty Members Were Recognized During the College Meeting

Four Faculty Members Won Prestigious Awards at the Annual University Conference; Three Faculty Members Were Recognized During the College Meeting

Rachel Leishman, Maximillian Wright and Daniel Mesta share their experience portraying the characters of Shakespeare's most famous tragic love story

There was one important characteristic Director Julia Ashworth was looking for in the student actor playing the lead role in BYU Arts' newest production, The Taste of Sunrise. He needed to be deaf. This month at BYU, the Department of Theatre and Media Arts is putting on a bilingual contemporary drama — opening on March 10 for a 13-show run in the Harris Fine Arts Center's Margetts Theatre — where every line spoken will also be signed. Every character has a shadow signer: an actor who moves and acts with him or her on stage and signs all the lines in American Sign Language. The lead role of Tuc — a man struggling to navigate the path of loss, love and language in his silent world — is played by Ben Featherstone. Feathersone is deaf, but wears a cochlear implant so that he can read lips and hear vibrations. Two other cast members are also hard of hearing: David Hampton (who plays Dr. Grindly Mann and other characters) and Jason Keeler (who plays Roscoe). Many of the cast members are fluent in ASL or have taken ASL classes at BYU. Set against the backdrop of the Roaring Twenties in Illinois, this award-winning drama explores the cultural complexities of deafness with great humor and compassion. Ashworth hopes this significant story will provide equal access to hearing, deaf and hard of hearing audiences in the community. 'I feel privileged to bring together deaf, hard of hearing and hearing actors to find the best way to tell this significant story,' said Ashworth. 'Producing The Taste of Sunriseaddresses issues of equality that are important to me as a theatre artist.' Acting is a new experience for Featherstone. He took on this role to prove to himself that being deaf isn't a limitation. He hopes that when the audience sees him on stage they will feel empowered as well. 'It doesn’t matter if you’re deaf, or if you’re hearing,' said Featherstone. 'What matters is that you are important in God’s eyes. There is no difference, we’re all equal. That’s the message I would share with the world.' The Taste of Sunrise is the second play in Suzan Zeder’s critically acclaimed Ware Trilogy, which will be presented throughout the year in its entirety in partnership with Utah Valley University. Tickets are $8-14, with discounts available for alumni, students, employees, senior citizens and groups. Tickets can be purchased in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com. PHOTO: The Taste of Sunrise: Katie Hyatt, Emma Flynn; Jake Earnest, Jonas Tucker; Katie Jarvis, Nell Hicks; Ben Featherstone, Tuc; Brittni Henretty, Dr. Alexis Graham; Abbie Craig, Maizie. Photography by Mark A. Philbrick/BYU Photo. Copyright BYU Photo 2016. All Rights Reserved. Performance Dates: March 10—12, 16—19 and 22—25 Times: 7:30 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday March 19 and 26 Location: Margetts Theatre, Harris Fine Arts Center, BYU Price: $8-14 (discounts for senior citizens, BYU students, groups and alumni) Tickets: Available in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com

The BYU Young Company will present William Shakespeare’s comic masterpiece Twelfth Night with a western twist in the Nelke Theatre of the Harris Fine Arts Center at 7 p.m. on Feb. 3-5, 10-12, with matinees on Feb. 6 and 13, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Tickets are $7, with discounts available for alumni, students, employees, senior citizens and groups. Tickets can be purchased in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com. Shakespeare’s poetry meets rip-roaring action and high-faultin song and dance in this cowboy version of Twelfth Night. Directed by Megan Sanborn Jones and adapted by Rick Curtiss, this production encourages audience members of all ages to look beneath outward appearances and value people for the qualities they have on the inside. “In our production, we decided to foreground this imagined world by presenting our 2016 Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night via a 1950’s vision of the nineteenth century west,” said Jones. “We take you back to this time that never existed–a fitting tribute, we believe– with Shakespeare’s topsy-turvy homage to a world where anything can happen.” Other production members include Amanda Welch as choreographer, Julia Ashworth as Young Company producer, Becky Wallin as Young Company managing director, Dayne Joyner as production stage manager, Rory Scanlon as scenic designer, Alyssa Bybee as costume designer, Sarah Stewart as makeup designer, Scott Jackson as props designer, Christian Riboldi as dramaturge, and Franny Gleave and Karlee Savage as assistant stage managers. Cast members include Sherry Kopischke as Viola/Cesario, Andrew Smith as Sebastian, Cameron Bridston as Feste, Savanah Smith as Olivia, Scott Jackson as Duke Orsino, Costner Henson as Malvolio, Olivia Ockey as Maria and Jacob Baird as Sir Toby Belch. PHOTO: Oliva (Savanah Smith, left) and Duke Orsino (Scott Jackson, right) fight over Cesario (Sherry Kopischke, center). BYU Young Company production of Twelfth Night. Photo by Jaren Wilkey/BYU. © BYU PHOTO 2016. All Rights Reserved. Performance Dates and Times: Feb. 3-5, 10-12, at 7 p.m. Matinees at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Feb. 6 and 13. Location: Nelke Theatre, Harris Fine Arts Center, BYU Price: $7 (discounts for senior citizens, BYU students, groups and alumni) Tickets: Available in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com

Based on Hans Christian Anderson story Brigham Young University’s Department of Theatre and Media Arts will present “The Nightingale” Friday, Sept. 27 through Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. with 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday matinees in the Margetts Theatre. Wednesday and Thursday tickets are available at $6 for adults, $4 for children and weekend tickets available at $7 for adults, $5 for children. For tickets, visit the Fine Arts Ticket Office, (801) 422-2981 or byuarts.com/tickets. There will be no performances Sundays or Mondays. “The Nightingale” is a play based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen and adapted for the stage by Timothy Mason. Directed by Julia Ashworth and Kori Wakamatsu, this tale of an emperor who neglects the lyrical song of a humble nightingale for the artificial splendor of a mechanical bird vividly depicts the majesty, grace and poetic ritual of ancient China. Performed in English and Mandarin and influenced by the traditions of Peking Opera, “The Nightingale” invites audience members to ponder the worth of the things we value most. To research the production, the cast and crew were able to travel to China to study with Peking Opera and establish sister-school relationships between schools in the United States and China. Ashworth explained why the directors decided on “The Nightingale.” “As we began to study the script together, several themes emerged, primarily the idea of true friendship,” she said. “A secular view of the story shows that the Emperor discovers the value of true friendship through the kind acts of the Nightingale. And yet, as we became more familiar with the script, we began to see the story as a Christian allegory. “Our production concept focuses on the idea of being in the world, but not of the world. The emperor is very much of the world – his palace is full of many dazzling, beautiful and delicate things. Although nothing is inherently wrong with the emperor's palace, these things lead him to forget what is truly important – his friends, family and loved ones. And through a selfless act, the Nightingale helps him remember what is truly important and provides him with a second chance,” said Ashworth. The play challenges audience members to remember what is most important in life. “As you watch 'The Nightingale,' we hope that you observe the details and enjoy the visual spectacle. Beyond the set, costumes, acting and dancing, we hope you are as struck as we have been with the simplicity of the message – that love and kindness transcend the ‘glitter’ of this world,” said Ashworth. The cast includes Cosette Hatch as the Narrator and Nicole Dugdale as the Nightingale/Young Man’s Wife, with Jennifer Bozeman as I-Ming/Witch, Clayton Cranford as Young Man/Glorious General, Scott Savage as High Lord Chamberlain, Jordan Nicholes as Emperor, Noah Kershisnik as Death/Emperor of Japan, Esmeralda Vera as Woo ling/Chinese Narrator and Allie Limas as Principal Dancer/Lady of the Court. The design and technical crew includes Alecia Holmes, production stage manager; Brent Robison, scenic designer; Donnette Perkins, costume designer; Seth Mergist, lighting designer; Michelle Ohumukini, sound designer; Jennifer Reed, production manager; and Lola Danielson, dramaturg. For more information, contact Julia Ashworth at (801) 422-4539 or julia_ashworth@byu.edu. Source: BYU News