Marcu 8, 2005

Kimberley Johnston Contributor

Vagabond Production’s presentation of George Bernard Shaw’s drama Heartbreak House will signify the beginning of a new age in the Theatre Studies Department at UPEI.

UPEI’s Theatre Studies Coordinator, Greg Doran, says now UPEI has two streams of theatre production; the UPEI Theatre Society, which is run completely by students, and Vagabond Productions, which is Doran’s brainchild. He explained that the Vagabond Productions shows will be a reflection of what is being studied in the Theatre Studies Program, while allowing students and non-UPEI students to participate in the productions.

“T will direct the Vagabond shows, and students will be able to participate in them for credit. In this way, the students, and the public, will be able to see how what is studied in the classroom can be applied on the stage.” Doran added that Theatre Studies students can learn a lot from working with experienced thespians. He said the Heartbreak House cast has learned a lot from Corin McFadden, who has appeared in multiple A

Community. Theatre (ACT) productions such as The Strike at Putney Church and Lend Me a Tenor.

The Heartbreak House audience can expect something quite different when it opens in mid March. The show has been stripped down to its bare essentials with minimal costuming and props, and no stage settings. The audience will be seeing a play that has

ON CAMPUS

Heartbreak House Signifies New Era in Theatre Studies Program: Doran

been “more studied than staged”. This will allow the talents of the production’s cast and crew to be better showcased, commented Doran.

Doran stated that not all Vagabond productions will be of a minimalist nature, but he looks forward to tinkering with different ideas and genres of theatre in the years to come.

“For me, the theatre is a laboratory, in that way, I’m kind of a mad scientist” he added instead of playing with chemicals in a scientific setting, he is playing with the creative arts in the campus setting.

The cast consists of the usual suspects in UPEI’s theatre scene, including Diana Love, Greg Chandler, and Ashley Clark, who directed Lysistrata last November. The cast also includes a host of newcomers to the UPEI theatre community — both onstage and behind the scenes.

Doran says his main intent is to get people involved in theatre at UPEI,; whether they be watching or taking part in the productions. He added keeping costs down for productions is a huge factor in

encouraging students to see these |

plays.

The play runs March 15 to March 18 in the Provinces Room of the Charlottetown Hotel on Kent Street. Doors open at 6:30 pm for a7 pm curtain. Tickets are available at the door, and all seats are $5. For more information, contact Greg Doran at the UPEI Theatre Studies program at

566-6013 or gdoran@upei.ca.

Islander and Poet Anne Compton at UPEI March 16

Anne Compton, a PEI native, and the first Islander since Milton Acorn in 1976 to win the Governor General’s Award for Poetry, will give a reading on Thursday, March 16, at 7:00 pm in the UPEI Faculty Lounge, Main Building. The reading and reception afterward will be a celebration of Dr. Compton’s distinguished award, in November 2005, for her second book, Processional. Everyone is invited and admission is free.

Anne Compton teaches at the University of New Brunswick at Saint John, where she is director of the acclaimed Lorenzo Reading Series featuring Canadian authors. Her first

poetry book, Opening the Island, won the Atlantic Poetry Prize in 2002. She is also editor of The Edge of Home: Milton Acorn from the Island (2002), and co-editor of Coastlines: The Poetry of Atlantic Canada. She has published numerous articles on Canadian and Maritime literature, 19th-century and early 20th-century aesthetics; and 17th-century Metaphysical poetry. Her poems have been published nationally and internationally in journals.

Dr. Compton’s reading is sponsored by the UPEI Department of English and the Dean of Arts. For further information, phone 566-0389.

THE CADRE e 12

Muslim Society of PEI Organizes Information Series, March 9, 15 & 29

In the spirit of reaching out to fellow Islanders, the Muslim Society of Prince Edward Island, in cooperation with the University of Prince Edward Island, invites the general public to the following three events to take place in the Duffy Lecture Theatre at UPEI: March 9, 2006 at 7:00 pm

Public -Forum, The. .Gattoon Controversy: Where Do We Go From Here as Canadians? The guest speaker is Riad Saloojee. A lawyer by profession, Riad Saloojee is the Executive Director of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN). CAIR-CAN is a national grassroots organization that works in the areas of media relations, anti-discrimination resolution and political advocacy. He provides media commentary, writes op-eds, conducts nation-wide educational seminars, presents at local events and national conferences, and regularly testifies before Parliamentary committees. March 15, 2006 at 7:00 pm

Public Screening of Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet, a documentary produced and directed by award- winning broadcaster Michael Schwarz. March 29, 2006 at 7:00 pm

Public Forum, Reaching Out and Sharing our Faith: Beyond the Cartoon

With a Dalhousie Arts and Social Sciences —

Controversy. The guest speaker is Dr. Jamal Badawi. Dr. Jamal Badawi is a Professor Emeritus from Saint Mary’s University where he was a cross- appointed faculty member in the Departments of Religious Studies and Management. He has authored several books and articles on Islam. He also researched, designed and presented a 352-segment television series on Islam, shown on many local TV stations in Canada, the US, and in other countries.

Some titles of his published works are: Selected Prayers, Gender Equity in Islam, Muhammad in the Bible, Status of Women in Islam, Polygamy in Islamic Law, The Earth and Humanity: An Islamic Perspective, Islam: A Brief Look, Muslim Woman’s Dress According to the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and Islamic Ethics. In addition to his participation in lectures, seminars and interfaith dialogues in North America, Dr. Badawi is regularly invited as a guest speaker in various functions throughout the world.

Refreshments will be served. Everyone is welcome. For more information call 892-2396 or email

mspei@hotmail.com.

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