“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more” – Shakespeare knew that the battle for the hearts and minds of the audience was one of the most difficult ones to gauge. Comedies versus tragedies, political theatre mixed with irreverent silliness, and somewhere in there theatre that inspires but also helps us wile away the time. Shakespeare had it easy.

As we begin the second half our season. I am pleased to say that our ambitious productions from the fall struck all the right notes with the
press and our patrons. David Mamet’s The Water Engine was a success both on stage and on the air with our new partner Wisconsin Public Radio. On the Razzle by Tom Stoppard gave us all some welcomed comic relief as we prepared our audiences for the challenging subject matter that was explored by the highly successful repertory productions of Yellowman and A Nervous Smile by
our MFA Directors.

University Theatre is pleased to have one of America’s new voices of the stage right here in Madison. Derrick Sanders is the Artistic Director of
Congo Square Theatre in Chicago and makes his Madison directing debut on our stage with Lydia R. Diamond’s adaptation of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye. University Theatre’s production of The Bluest Eye represents our commitment to the Lorraine Hansberry legacy on campus.

Dragonwings by Laurence Yep flies in to the Hemsley Theatre as our Theatre for Youth production. Professor David Furumoto brings his magical touch to this mythical story that promises to be an exciting and transformative production for the whole family. From flying machines to streetcars we finish our season with Tennessee Williams’ classic A Streetcar Named Desire.
With Professor Norma Saldivar at the helm the audience can be assured of a rich palate of color and conflict in the heat of New Orleans.

Our audience is the extended cast and crew of every one of our productions. We need you to continue the innovative programming that makes UT a special place within the Department of Theatre and Drama. I would like to remind you
that Friends of UT has already made a difference for our students and our productions. Your donations are helping bring talented artists to our
program for professional visits, paying for much needed production costs, and helping to establish partnerships with other arts organizations here in
the Madison area. I would like to offer a special thank you to the Wisconsin Union Theatre for helping us bring Olympia Dukakis to campus for her
Broadway play and workshop with our students.

Together we can breach that wall!

All my best for helping in the past and in the future,

Tony Simotes

Director of University Theatre