The University of Texas
Department of Theatre and Dance

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT: Gene Bartholomew, (512) 471–0632, gbartholomew@mail.utexas.edu

ELECTRONIC ART UPON REQUEST

Musical Theatre returns to UT's College of Fine Arts! The Department of Theatre & Dance, through special arrangement with Musical Theatre International (MTI), will present Stephen Sondheim's bold, thought–provoking and deeply patriotic musical Assassins, April 11–20, 2008 at UT PAC's B. Iden Payne Theatre. Presented as part of the college's two–year Musical Theatre Pilot Project, this exciting production of Assassins is directed by UT's Rod Caspers and includes students from many different UT colleges and departments in the cast, crew and creative team.

Assassins explores the stories of the thirteen people who have tried to assassinate the President of the United States during our country's brief history. Four of these individuals have succeeded. Using a revue format – with a series of vignettes, sketches and ballads, the motivations and historical context of infamous characters like John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald are explored. The carnival–like set design adds a surreal quality to the story and the music and lyrics raise the central question of the piece– does everyone truly have the right to be happy? A 2004 revival starring Neil Patrick Harris as Lee Harvey Oswald and the Balladeer received four Tony awards, including Best Revival and Best Featured Actor for Michael Cerveris.

In his notes accompanying the original cast recording of Assassins, producer Andre Bishop writes, "As the assassins sing of their (and everyone's) right to be happy and have their dreams, one has a sense of an America whose extraordinary freedom has created a land where accidents of all kinds can happen. Any kid can grow up to be President; any kid can grow up to be his killer."

The Musical Theatre Pilot Project is a two–year initiative started in the fall of 2007 aiming to give students access to musical theatre through course work and performance opportunities. In the summer of 2009, students will participate in a concentrated, intensive workshop in which they will work with various musical theatre professionals to experience the musical production process from conception to performance, creating a new work to present at the end of the term.

The UT Department of Theatre and Dance kicks off Assassins on April 11. All audience members are invited to join us on April 11 for an Opening Night Reception immediately following the performance.

For more information about the composer & lyricist, author, director, cast, design team, renderings and synopsis, visit the Assassins production page at the Department of Theatre and Dance website.

CALENDAR LISTING:

April 11 – 20, 2008 – UT Department of Theatre & Dance presents Assassins at UT Performing Arts Center's B. Iden Payne Theatre (300 E. 23rd St.). Performance times are April 11, 12, 17, 18 &19 at 8:00 p.m. and April 13, 19, & 20 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets ($16 adults, $13 UT faculty & staff, $10 student) are now on sale and may be purchased at the following authorized ticket outlets, which include the Frank Erwin Center, Central Market stores, most HEB stores and all Texas Box Office outlets, online at www.utpac.org, or by calling (512) 477–6060 or (800) 982–BEVO.