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Aug. 24, 2009
The Morningside College English and theatre departments are sponsoring a trip to Spring Green, Wis., Sept. 24-26 to see classical plays produced by the professional American Players Theatre company. The trip is open to the public.
This year's plays include a Shakespearean farce, a Noel Coward comedy and the most famous Shakespearean play about war.
Shakespeare's “The Comedy of Errors,” about two sets of twins causing confusion in one city on one day, is full of slapstick humor and word play. Underlying the farce is a serious exploration of loss and identity. The witty comedy in Coward's “Hay Fever” revolves around the stylish and eccentric Bliss family on a country weekend at home with befuddled guests. “Henry the Fifth” is a panorama of England at war with France, the English forces led by prodigal son Prince Hal, now the King of England. Hal must prove himself as politician, warrior, rhetorician and wooer. He must also confront the painful ethical quandaries of war deep in his own soul. A possible alternative play is Eugene O'Neill's American tragedy “A Long Day's Journey into Night.”
APT's open air theatre is located in a wooded area along the Wisconsin River. It features comfortable seating, a bus to take people up the hill, a snack bar and a gift shop. The trip will allow free time for exploring the area, as well as a chance to talk with APT actors and technical staff.
"The APT experience is a mix of the best classical theatre professionally produced with the beauty of nature and most of the amenities of an indoor theatre," said Marty Knepper, trip organizer and chair of the English and theatre departments. "The Spring Green area is full of wonderful arts and crafts shops, outdoor opportunities such as golfing and hiking, and major tourist attractions such as the House on the Rock and the Frank Lloyd Wright School.”
The group will leave Sioux City on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 4 p.m. and travel by car pool to Spring Green, returning on Saturday, Sept. 26, at about midnight. The group will stay at Spring Valley Inn, a hotel designed in Frank Lloyd Wright style.
Information on the trip, including a registration form, is available in the "Activities" section of the English department Web site: webs.morningside.edu/English. The cost of the trip – $275 for adults – covers travel, hotel, tickets and some meals. Students are eligible to apply for a travel grant that lowers the cost of the trip to $195. The travel grant application is also available on the Web site. The deadline for trip registration is Sept. 15. There is room for 25 persons on the trip, so those interested should sign up early.
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