Theatre major Ant Sandefer portrays George Merry threatening the beloved literary hero Jim Halkins, played by theatre major Chelsea Boelter, in Lee's 2015 production of Treasure Island
The 2016-2017 theatre season at Lee University is opening soon with many planned arrangements of classical literature.
“This season is full of things that will seem familiar to our audiences,” said assistant professor of Theatre Dan Buck. “We are producing a play about a contemporary church, a long-told horror story, a play by the greatest playwright of all time, and a musical chock full of beloved songs.”
The season will open on Tuesday, Sept. 20, with guest artist David Harrell performing his original one-man show, “A Little Potato and Hard to Peel” in the Dixon Center at 7 p.m.
"In his engaging, comedic show, Harrell, an actor from New York, tells an autobiographical story of how living without his right hand affected his life.
Born in southern Georgia in the 1970’s, Harrell’s parents promised him that his disability wouldn’t make him different, but he soon realizes the metal hook on his right arm does, in fact, make him feel different, and he embarks on the journey to find the awareness to not be defined by limitations," officials said.
Mr. Harrell will also present six daytime performances which are funded in part by the Tennessee Arts Commission. The Allied Arts Council of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce is also providing funding to help local schoolchildren attend.
The season will continue with a new play, “The Christians” by Lucas Hnath, and will be performed in the Buzz Oates Theatre, located in Lee’s Communication Arts Building. Showings will take place on Sep. 23-24, Sep. 29, and Oct. 1.
"In The Christians, Pastor Paul’s church has grown from a modest storefront to a congregation of thousands, with classrooms for Sunday School, a coffee shop in the lobby, and a baptismal font as big as a swimming pool. On this particular Sunday, the pastor’s sermon will shake the church to its foundations. This is a play about how theology impacts life and the difficulty of changing one’s mind," officials said.
On Oct. 28-30 and Nov. 3-5, Lee Theatre will present a new version of “Dracula” by Nathan Jeffrey.
"This play is an exciting adaption of the original novel by Stoker bringing to life famous characters, such as Van Helsing, as they work to defeat the darkness that Dracula brings to the world." officials said.
“Love’s Labour’s Lost,” one of William Shakespeare’s early comedies, will showcase in February 2017.
“Love’s Labour’s Lost follows the King of Navarre and his three companions as they attempt to cut off relationships with women for three years of study and fasting and their subsequent infatuation with the Princess of Aquitaine and her ladies," officials said.
The season will conclude with the musical, “Oliver!” by Lionel Bart, beginning Mar. 31, 2017.
"Adapted from Dicken’s Oliver Twist, this award-winning musical puts on a lively show with some memorable characters and songs," officials said.
Tickets will be available at the Box Office in the Communication Arts Building, Monday-Friday, 3-6 p.m., during the week leading up to each show, and one hour before curtain time at the box office in the location of the performance.
For more information, visit
www.leeuniversity/edu/theatre or email theatre@leeuniversity.edu. Fans are encouraged to follow Lee University Theatre on Facebook.
Lee Theatre's spring 2016 production of The Odyssey employed the use of six tons of playground sand. Here, Odysseus's sailors join the Lotus Eaters in an escapist dance