The American Repertory Theatre's (A.R.T.) twenty-second season in residence at Harvard's Loeb Drama Center commences in October. The season will run through June 2001. A.R.T.'s production notes list the following productions for the 2000-2001 season, which will be produced under the guidance of artistic director Robert Brustein.
• Antigone by Sophocles A.R.T. associate director Francois Rochaix helms Sophocles' timeless tale, staged during a time of civil war, when a young girl is willing to sacrifice everything to face down the authority of a state. Scheduled to run in repertory beginning in November.
• Three Farces and a Funeral: The Proposal, The Bear and The Wedding Reception by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Robert Brustein. Social observation and sparkling satire inform Chekhov's vaudevilles, the one-act comedies he wrote to support himself before penning his masterpieces. Scheduled to run in repertory beginning in December.
• The Doctors' Dilemma by George Bernard Shaw. Shaw's keen-eyed examination of medial malpractice. The story involves London doctor Colenso Ridgeon's discovery of a cure for tuberculosis and what he does with it. Runs in repertory beginning January 2001.
• Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht. The story of the wretched plight of Ann Fierling, who struggles alone in the 17th century to keep her family alive during Europe's Thirty Years War. Hungarian director Janos Szasz makes his American debut with this Loeb Stage production. Scheduled to run in repertory starting in January, 2001. • Richard II by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare's tragedy, described as the most lyrical and psychologically complex of his history plays, will be staged by renowned director Robert Woodruff (Full Circle, In the Jungle of Cities). Begins May 2001 on the Loeb Stage.
A.R.T.'s New Stages will also offer the following productions:
• Robert Brustein's The Face-Lift, directed by David Wheeler. Date rape is the theme of this muscular and wryly comic play.
• Adam Rapp's Nocturne, directed by Marcus Stern. Through a series of lyrical monologues, a brother tells the story of how he tried to piece together the events surrounding his sister's death.
For tickets, subscriptions or further information about the 2000-2001 season at the American Repertory Theatre call (617) 547-8300 or visit www.amrep.org.
-- By Murdoch McBride
