FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Sarah Snyder
ssnyder3@umd.edu
301.405.8151
College Park, MD— Matthew Wilson directs the comedic and contemporary Molière Impromptu, translated and adapted by Rinne Groff, November 8-16 at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. Presented by the UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS), Molière Impromptu is based on three short plays by Molière and takes a wickedly funny look at the magic of theatre.
About Molière Impromptu
Set in 1665 Versailles, the play presents a director’s nightmare as the members of Molière's Illustre Theatre gather to rehearse a new play commissioned by the King for a performance that very night. The script is in horrible shape, the straight man wants to leave the troupe, marital spats are ripping the company apart, the intern is lobbying for a bigger part and the lead actress can never remember her lines.
Director Matthew Wilson says, “Molière Impromptu is a hilariously over-the-top play that also gets to the heart of why we love theatre and what it means to make people laugh. The script skillfully weaves original pieces from Molière’s repertoire with contemporary reflections about what it would have been like to work with such a mercurial but fun-loving genius.”
The play also showcases stunning sets, costumes, and lighting and sound design. Wilson adds, “The design team has created a lavish and zany world that mixes gorgeous period silhouettes with inventive and original designs, and the actors get to play with masked period comedy, as well as contemporary naturalism. Like Molière himself, this is a play that keeps inventing itself anew, but never fails to make us laugh."
First performed by Trinity Repertory Company in 2005, the play is a contemporary take on the works of one of the great masters of Western comedy.
About Matthew Wilson
Matthew R. Wilson is the Artistic Director of Faction of Fools Theatre Company and a professional actor, director, choreographer, playwright and instructor. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity, SAG-AFTRA, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and the Society of American Fight Directors. Matt has worked in theatres across Europe and North America and has been a Guest Instructor at NYU, Columbia and Northwestern, among others. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Acting at George Mason University and George Washington University. He is also a two-time Helen Hayes nominee for the Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play and the author of two chapters in the Routledge Companion to Commedia dell’Arte. As an actor, he recently performed opposite Kevin Spacy in the hit Netflix original series House of Cards. Matt holds a BA from Columbia University and an MFA from the Academy for Classical Acting. He is a Ph.D. candidate in Theatre & Performance Studies at the University of Maryland.
Tickets
More information can be found on our website. Tickets for this performance are $50/$10 (Regular/Students), and can be purchased online or by calling (301) 405-ARTS (2787).
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Located on the University of Maryland campus and a part of the College of Arts and Humanities, the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS) is a dynamic community of artist-scholars who advance and transform the research and practice of their art forms. The School is committed to collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship. TDPS, the School of Music and Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library share a space within the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, a premier presenting arts venue and collaborative laboratory for professional artists, teachers and students, serving the university and community.