Two comedies, a drama, a children's play, a musical revue and an evening of student-directed one-act plays are on tap this week for theatergoers in the region.
- THE STARSHIP BOOBYPRIZE is landing again at the Off Broadway Theatre for another sequel in the venue's "Star Twek" series.This one is subtitled "The Voyager Home."
Captain Smirk (Eric Jensen) and pointy-eared Mr. Schlock (Bob Bedore) will be there, of course, along with Dr. McPoi (Ben Porter), Lt. Ohyoohoo (Kimberlee Hart), Mr. Scotchy (Bus Riley), Mr. Solo (Cody K. Carlson), the villainous Ghan (Robert Bogue) and cyborg Earnest Borg-9 (Russell Peacock, a loopy favorite of Off Broadway patrons).
Making her first OBT appearance is Jennifer Porter as Farah Gump.
The latest adventure in the ongoing "Star Twek" series has Smirk and the crew battling the wrath of Gahn . . . and Earnest Borg-9 attempting to avenge the deaths of his brothers, Victor and Bjorn.
Written and directed by Bedore and Jensen, the production has costumes by Laura Bedore and scenery by Frank Ackerman and John Cook.
The space spoof will play Mondays and Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. from Jan. 25 through March 2 at the Off Broadway Theatre, 272 S. Main. All seats are reserved. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for senior citizens and students and $5 for children 12 and under. For reservations, call 355-4628.
- "ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD," Tom Stoppard's absurdist classic focusing on two minor characters in William Shakespeare's "Hamlet," will play Jan. 24-Feb. 10 in the Margetts Theater of Brigham Young University's Harris Fine Arts Center.
In the original "Hamlet," Shakespeare introduced Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as two college friends of Prince Hamlet. They are invited to visit by King Claudius, who wants the duo to raise Hamlet's spirits and find out what is troubling the prince. The two become entangled in Hamlet and Claudius' problems and are dead by the end of Shakespeare's play.
Contemporary playwright Stoppard uses this plot as a springboard to tell the story through the eyes of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
"During the entire play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are trying to figure out what their purpose is," says faculty director Eric Samuelsen. "They try to do exactly what others tell them to do, but it never seems to work out. The play is extremely comical and fun."
Cast members include L. Barrett Ogden as Rosencrantz, D.C. Wright as Guildenstern and Jason K. Tatom as the Player. Jeremy Hoop, Heywood Bagley and Anthony Brinkley play Hamlet, Claudius and Polonius respectively. Phoebe Candland is Gertrude, and Loralee Chandler is Ophelia.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, Jan. 24-Feb. 10, including two half-price "preview" performances Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 24-25. There will also be one matinee performance at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3.
Ticket prices are $6 for students, faculty and staff; $7 for senior citizens and alumni; and $8 for the public. For reservations, call 378-4322.
- "THE HANDS OF ITS ENEMY," Mark Medoff's drama about a university's resident theater troupe involved in the rehearsal of a new play, is scheduled Jan. 25-28 in the Jay W. Lees Courage Theatre of Westminster College's Jewett Center for the Performing Arts.
Medoff is best known for his acclaimed drama, "Children of a Lesser God."
This new Westminster Players' production focuses on the personal struggles of two individuals: student playwright Marieta Yerby, a deaf graduate student whose play about domestic violence is being produced, and Howard Bellman, a visiting professional director who has just left a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.
As the cast of the play explores the text, the director pushes Yerby to dig deeper into the dramatic truths of her own life, eventually confessing the real story and her responsibility in her father's death and her mother's imprisonment. The truth frees these individuals to achieve new levels of artistic expression and meaning through their shared experiences.
"The Hands of Its Enemy," being directed by Tamara Compton, Westminster College theater professor, features Marla Broetz and Jeff Nichols in the lead roles, along with Michael Robinson, Amanda Finlayson, Kim Gollihur, Patrick Kibbie, Tara Marino, Brian Pilling and Denise Smith.
In addition to performances signed for the hearing impaired, several educations events have been scheduled on campus dealing with deaf culture, domestic violence, incest and alcoholism in collaboration with the school's social science program, the National T-Shirt Project, the Social Science Club, the YWCA and other community organizations.
Curtain time for performances is 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 7 p.m. on Sunday. Educational presentations will be given one half-hour prior to performances in the Jewett Center lobby and other campus locations throughout the week. For further information, call 488-4216.
The play contains mature language and subject matter. All performances are free of charge.
- "THE LITTLE MERMAID," a children's Saturday matinee presentation at the Hale Center Theater in Orem, is resuming following a break during the Christmas holidays. It will continue at 11 a.m. on most Saturdays through June 3 at the theater, 225 W. 400 North, Orem.
Tickets are $3.50 for children 11 and under and $4 for adults. Reservations are suggested. Those children celebrating their birthdays during the month are admitted free when attending with a party of five or more. The birthday children will also be recognized and brought down on stage.
For reservations, call 226-8600.
- "A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING," a national touring musical revue featuring the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein, makes a one-night stop on Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the Kent Concert Hall of Utah State University's Chase Fine Arts Center.
The evening is part of the Cache Performances series, cosponsored by USU and the Community Performing Arts Series.
Produced by Big League Theatricals in New York City, the show was a 1994 nominee for the Tony Award for "best musical" and "best book for a musical."
The revue, performed by a cast of five, includes songs from such classic shows as "Oklahoma!," "Carousel," "State Fair," "South Pacific," "The King and I," "Flower Drum Song," "Cinderella" and "The Sound of Music" and such lesser known works as "Me and Juliet," "Allegro" and "Pipe Dream."
Tickets are available at the USU Ticket Office in the Smith Spectrum (797-0305), the information desk of the Taggart Student Center or at the door. Tickets are priced at $18 for adults, $9 for youths (5-18) and $3 for USU students with valid activity cards.
- ONE-ACT PLAYS, all directed by students, will be presented Jan. 25-27 as part of USU's "On the Studio Stage" series.
They include "It's Called the Sugar Plum," directed by Sarah Davey; "Haiku," directed by Don Falslev; and "The Root of Chaos," directed by Julie Armstrong.
Performances begin at 8 p.m. in Room 224 of the Chase Fine Arts center. All seating is "general admission," with tickets (priced at $2) available at the door.