A king and three of his nobles take an oath to forswear earthly pleasures and seclude themselves in an academy for three years so they can become famous for their scholarly work. A princess and her ladies-in-waiting arrive at the academy, find out about their oath, and the fun begins! Shakespeare’s comedy, Love’s Labour’s Lost, runs Thursday, Feb. 26, through Sunday, March 15, in the Carousel Theatre. The production is sponsored by Lexus of Knoxville.
“The show is a lively, lyrical comedy teeming with scenes of lightning quick, clever verbal repartee, witty word-play and genuinely funny circumstances,” said director John Sipes.
Sipes is a first-year faculty member in the UT Theatre Department. Formerly, he was the Resident Movement Director for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival where he worked on more than 100 productions in 13 seasons. Prior to that, he directed shows and choreographed fights for the Illinois Shakespeare Festival for twelve seasons. He also served as the Festival’s Artistic Director from 1990 to 1995. Recent directing credits include All My Sons at the CBT, King John at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Hollow at the Milwaukee Rep, and mr lear, a play which he wrote, directed and performed at Usine-C in Montreal. Later this year, he will direct Henry VII at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Julius Caesar at Shakespeare Santa Cruz.
Composer and musical director Terry Silver-Alford is a member of the UT Theatre faculty and teaches Musical Theatre Performance, Introduction to the Theatre and Acting. He has worked in professional theatres across the country as a performer, director, musical director and composer. He has directed or musically directed over 100 productions and created scores for four original musicals and a variety of chamber and vocal music pieces.
The large cast is comprised of professional actors, community members, and graduate and undergraduate students. Tony Cedeño (Dull) was last seen at CBT in A Year With Frog and Toad. A graduate of UT’s MFA Acting program and a former CBT artist-in-residence and company member, he also works in radio and TV, and as a director, teacher and acting coach.
Preview for the show is Thursday, Feb. 26. Opening night is Friday, Feb. 27. Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Matinees begin at 2 p.m. Ticket prices for UT students range from free to $10. Ticket prices for UT faculty and staff range from $17 to $33; however, faculty and staff get two tickets for the price of one. For info or tickets, call the Clarence Brown Theatre box office at 974-5161 or visit the Clarence Brown Theatre Web site at http://www.clarencebrowntheatre.com.