WKU News

The WKU Department of Theatre & Dance and the Department of Music will join together to present A Pair of Puccinis March 31-April 2.

The production will consist of two one-act operas, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi.

Suor Angelica, which will be featured first, centers on Sister Angelica who was sent to the convent for shaming her family. The action takes place in a single day and follows the activities of the nuns of the convent as they go about their day. We see the human element of living in a convent: attending chapel, the tutoring of novices, service of lay sisters and the humor of everyday life where one laughs and loves. The opera ends in blissful redemption. 

Junior Riley Morrissey of Louisville plays one of the nuns and has enjoyed getting to know her character. “My character basically goes on errands for the other nuns,” Morrissey said. “She is cheerful, upbeat and a little nosey.”

The operas are directed by Dr. Wayne Pope, Professor of Voice. Selecting a show for college students to perform is not an easy task. 

“These two works are perennial favorites in the operatic repertoire,” Dr. Pope said. “Their beautiful and exciting vocal lines combine with lush colorful orchestrations, engaging visual effect and rich plot lines to deliver the best of the one act genre.” 

Since this is a combined project of the Department of Theatre & Dance and the Department of Music, Dr. Pope knew he would have many excellent singers to choose from at auditions. “I was eager to showcase some of our stellar upperclassmen while giving ample opportunity to freshmen and sophomore singers,” he said. “These operas will be enjoyable for our audience and perfect for our program.”  

Gianni Schicchi will be presented as the second half of the production. In this opera, the action opens on the bedroom of Buoso Donati who has just died. His downhearted relatives sigh in sadness. Or do they? It is unclear what has happened to Buoso as the day proceeds, not everything is as it seems and many questions are left to be answered. Who is named in the will? What will happen to Buoso’s mule, rumored to be the finest in Tuscany? Who will inherit the mansions and the saw mills? Did the deceased include his family in the document? Does everything get sorted out? Will there be a happy ending? And what will become of the young lovers? Come to the show and see how everything turns out. This production is set in 1930’s Italy and features scheming relatives, naïve visitors and unscrupulous motives.

These two delightful operas, each under an hour, will make you laugh, tug at your heart and warm your soul. In Suor Angelica, redemption triumphs over remorse in the story of the title character, Sister Angelica, sent to the convent by an unloving family. In the farcical Gianni Schicchi the roguish Gianni gives the snobbish, aristocratic Donati family their comeuppance. Beloved arias, powerful ensembles and lyrical music fuel these Puccini classics! (Sung in English.)

A Pair of Puccinis will be presented at 8 p.m. March 31, 8 p.m. April 1 and 3 p.m. April 2 at Van Meter Hall. Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for students and seniors age 62 and over. Tickets can be purchased online at wku.showare.com or by calling the Fine Arts Box Office at (270) 745-3121 from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Cast members for Gianni Schicchi: Jacob Carr, a senior from Bowling Green; Ellen Emerson, a senior from Louisville; Jason Fox, a junior from Russellville; Josiah Howlett, a junior from Lexington; Justin Miller, a senior from Owensboro; Olivia Mitchell, a junior from Bowling Green; Heather Moore, a senior from Louisville; Trevor Neaveill, a sophomore from Louisville; Matthew Nelson, a junior from Elizabethtown; Hadley Rouse, a senior from Owensboro; Aaron Schilling, a junior from Crescent Springs; Hannah Somers, a graduate student from Bowling Green; Sam Tuggle, a freshman from Bowling Green; Troy Wethington, a junior from Campbellsville; Dylan Wright, a senior from Frankfort

Cast members for Suor Angelica: Brittany Bagwell, a sophomore from Franklin; Malia Baker, a freshman from Louisville; Stephanie Berec, a freshman from Bowling Green; Sarah Chapman, a freshman from Bowling Green; Abigail Curtis, a junior from Georgetown; Hannah Goldman, a sophomore from Owensboro; Sarah Guthrie, a junior from Bowling Green; Mallory Howard, a freshman from Madisonville; Ellie Hughes, a sophomore from Louisville; Audra Jones, a freshman from Lexington; Madeline Marita, a sophomore from Florence; Riley Morrissey, a junior from Louisville; Hannah Morrow, a freshman from Bandana; Hilarie Spangler, a sophomore from Middlesboro; Brooke Thornsberry, a sophomore from Louisville; DiDi Turley, a freshman from Bowling Green; Rebecca Volk, a senior from Owensboro; Katie Vogel, a junior from Shelbyville; Rachel West, a graduate student from Chicago; Jacqueline Yunker, a senior from Bowling Green. 

About Theatre and Dance: More than 15,000 people were entertained by the WKU Department of Theatre and Dance last year. The department presents over 20 productions every year including four Mainstage productions, two Mainstage dance concerts, three student-choreographed dance concerts, a Children’s Theatre Series, a Studio Series of student-directed works, a Before Broadway Series featuring a staged reading of a new musical, and a Next Stage Series of showcases and works in progress. More information about the WKU Department of Theatre and Dance can be found at www.wku.edu/theatre-and-dance or by calling the department at (270) 745-5845. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @WKUTheatreDance.

Contact: Julie Pride, (270) 779-2560