UAH to host three performances by the American Shakespeare Center on Tour

Photo by Michael Bailey

The American Shakespeare Center (ASC) on Tour will perform three plays on three consecutive nights in the University Center Exhibit Hall at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). The event is sponsored by the Huntsville Literary Association, the UAH English Department, and the English honor society Sigma Tau Delta.

The first play, Hamlet, will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m. It will be preceded by a lecture from UAH English Department Chair Dr. Jeff Nelson at 6 p.m.

The second play, Much Ado About Nothing, will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 7 p.m. It will be preceded by a lecture from Associate Professor of English Department Dr. Angela Balla at 6 p.m.

The third play, Dr. Faustus, will take place on Thursday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m. It will be preceded by a lecture from UAH Assistant Professor of English Dr. Chad Thomas at 6 p.m.

ASC, a theater company based in Staunton, VA, has "delighted Huntsville audiences for many years with its commitment to Shakespearian staging practices," says Dr. Balla. "These include role doubling, cross-gender casting, and thrust staging, all of which the company does with the house lights on so actors and audience members can see one another. These plays, part of the ASC's 'Dangerous Dreams' tour, offer audiences breath-taking opportunities to consider what happens when fantasies - some dark, some light - take living shape."

Seating for the plays is general admission and pricing is as follows:

• Students: $15
• HLA members: $20
• Seniors (65 and older): $20
• General Public: $25

Tickets are available through the Arts Council and the UAH English Department (Morton Hall 222; 256-824-6320), and online through the Huntsville Literary Association (http://hlahsv.org/Programs/american-shakespeare-center-on-tour/buy-tickets). Teachers may also contact Dr. Balla (angela.balla@uah.edu) for more information.