Ruthless! The Musical at Allen Bales Theatre
Wildly comedic and delightfully over-the-top, this musical asks what happens when the pursuit of stardom begins to take on a life of its own. 
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Drama and intrigue reign in UA Theatre and Dance's brilliant performance of 'A Doll's House, Part 2'
"The traditional aspects of acting excellence and behind-the-scenes know-how are married to thoughtful use of tech in "A Doll's House, Part 2." Pop music scores certain scenes, adding a modern charm to dialogue-free sequences and a delightfully funny motif toward the end of the play. Even in the pre-show playlist, classic music bleeds into the biting power chords of Joan Jett's anthem "Bad Reputation," a hint at the contrast of styles in the play to come. LED stage lights also cast the set in various shades of red and blue, complementing the emotions on stage. ...In all, "A Doll's House, Part 2" succeeds handily across the board, courtesy of Straley's direction and the work of the entire cast and crew." -Benjamin Smith |
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Dark satire 'Ruthless! The Musical' opens at UA
THIRD-YEAR MASTER OF FINE ARTS GRAD STUDENT NATASHA STRALEY DIRECTS THE UA PRODUCTION. IN A WRITTEN RELEASE, STRALEY SAID, "CAMP IS VERY INTERESTING, BECAUSE IT IS SMART COMEDY THAT LOOKS ON THE SURFACE TO BE VERY SILLY, BUT HAS ALL THE LAYERS HAPPENING UNDERNEATH, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS SHOW REFERENCING AS MANY SHOWS AS IT DOES." 
Dark satire 'Ruthless! The Musical' opens at UA
All-woman Broadway satire "Ruthless! The Musical" rips classic shows and films, from "Gypsy" and "Mame" to "All About Eve," to Alabama writer William March's "The Bad Seed," which itself became a 1954 Broadway hit, then a 1956 film. |
UA Theatre to Debut Faculty-Written Play, Premium
"The play was written by Madison Merkel, an instructor of acting, who will also play the protagonist, Catherine. Natasha Straley, a graduate student in the Department of Theatre and Dance, will direct the performance. The two said they were proud of the ensemble cast they had created, mixing seven actors and dancers of undergraduate, graduate and professional talent. -Benjamin Smith UA Theatre and Dance to show 'A Doll's House, Part 2' with new twists
"Straley also said the project would place an emphasis on the combination of live performance and technology, the theme of her Capstone Project. As an indie filmmaker with roots in live performance, Straley said that her direction would combine her areas of expertise to "amplify and expand the world of theatre." Along with adding new projections and light effects to the play, Straley also created a QR code-based quiz for the audience which matches them with one of the play's main characters." - Benjamin Smith |
