[NEohioPAL]TUESDAY IS THE FINAL SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS AT KSU'S SCHOOL OF THEATRE & DANCE

[ELISABETH MADDEN]

FINAL "SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS=94 AT KSU'S SCHOOL OF THEATRE & DANCE

In celebration of two decades of achievement, the School of Theatre &=20
Dance created, the =93Spotlight on Success.=94  =93Spotlight on Success=94 =
are=20
panel discussions, similar in style to =93Inside the Actor=92s Studio,=94=
=20
that took place before one performance of each production in the 2003 =96=
=20
2004 season.  Each panel will had a theme that tied into the production=20
it was partnered with.  Panel members were School of Theatre & Dance=20
Alumni and Friends, whom are working in various fields of theatre and=20
dance.  Panel discussions begin at 6:30 PM and are free and open to the=20
public.  Past panels were =93Working with a Theatre Degree,=94 =93Theatre=
=20
Design & Technology,=94 =93Dance as a Career,=94 =93Musical Theatre with=20
Stephen Schwartz,=94 and =93Dance and Theatre Education.=94  The final=20
=93Spotlight on Success=94 is =93Acting and Creative Process=94 on Tuesday,=
=20
April 20 at 6:30 PM in the Wright-Curtis Theatre of the Music & Speech=20
Center.

The final =93Spotlight on Success=94 will take place on Tuesday, April 20th=
=20
in conjunction with the world premiere of BLIND NESS: The Irresistible=20
Light of Encounter.  "Acting and the Creative Process=94 panel members=20
will include founders of convergence-continuum theatre and School of=20
Theatre & Dance alumni, Clyde Simon (MFA 1998), Brian Breth (BFA 1998)=20
and Golde (MFA 2000), BLIND NESS actor and School of Theatre & Dance=20
alumna, Jeff Randall (BFA 2000) and co-creator of BLIND NESS, Michael=20
Rohd. The panel will be hosted by School of Theatre & Dance professor=20
Charles Richie.  =93Acting and the Creative Process=94 will begin at 6:30=
=20
PM Wright-Curtis Theatre of the Music & Speech Building on the main=20
Kent State University campus.  This event is free and open to the=20
public.

Kent State University=92s School of Theatre & Dance celebrates its 20th=20
anniversary with the world premiere of Ping Chong and Michael Rohd=92s=20
production of BLIND NESS: The Irresistible Light of Encounter.  This=20
world premiere is brought to Kent State University by the Roe Green=20
Visiting Director Series.  This full-production, work-in-progress is=20
being written and directed by world-renowned directors Ping Chong and=20
Michael Rohd.  Considered a multi-disciplinary theatre work, the piece=20
can be categorized as a prismatic exploration of the reverberations of=20
colonialism in Africa.  The production is based on a premise inspired=20
by Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness (the same book on which the 70=92s=20
blockbuster movie Apocalypse Now was based); Arthur Conan Doyle's Crime=20
of the Congo; and Adam Hochschild's King Leopold's Ghost in addition to=20
other historical texts and archival materials. =20

=93Chong, Rohd and their 17-member ensemble have created visually=20
riveting and textually nuanced building blocks, scenes that distill=20
years of oppression and rage into a few minutes each.=94 =96 Tony Brown,=20
Plain Dealer Theater Critic

After its development and premiere at Kent State University, BLIND NESS=20
will be presented in June 2004 at La MaMa Theatre in New York City and=20
will then tour. =20

 BLIND NESS: The Irresistible Light of Encounter runs April 16 =96 25. =20
Remaing erformances are April 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 at 8 PM, April 24=20
at 2 PM and April 25 at 2:30 PM.  Tickets for BLIND NESS can be ordered=20
by calling 330-672-2497.   Adults - $25; Seniors, Alums & KSU Faculty &=20
Staff - $20; Students with a valid ID or under 18 - $7.  Discount=20
tickets are available for groups of ten or more.  The School of Theatre=20
& Dance Box Office is located in the Music & Speech Center and is open=20
12 p.m. =96 5 p.m. Mondays =96 Fridays, 3 p.m. =96 7 p.m. on Saturday durin=
g=20
the run of the show.  School of Theatre & Dance performances are=20
Tuesday =96 Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.  The Box Office=20
accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and personal checks.=20

A special School of Theatre & Dance 20th Anniversary Benefit will be=20
held on Friday, April 23 in the Music & Speech Building on Kent State=20
University Main Campus.  Tickets are $75 for individuals or $125 a=20
couple.  Cost includes a ticket to see BLIND NESS and admittance to a=20
catered reception following the performance.  For reservations or more=20
information call Elisabeth at 330-672-0103.


-------------------------------
Elisabeth Madden
Managing Director
Porthouse Theatre
KSU's School of Theatre & Dance
emadden at kent.edu
330-672-0103