What: Fefu and Her Friendsby Maria Irene Fornés, a story ofeight women, in 1935 New England, college friends, feminists and progressives for their time, who gather for a weekend to plan a salon event and discover more than they bargained for.
When: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 24, 25, 26; 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1, 2, 3 and 2 p.m. Sept. 27 and Oct. 4
Where: Studio Theatre, Radio Television Film and Performing Arts Building
Cost: Tickets cost $7.50 for students, UNT faculty/staff and senior citizens and $10 for adults. Audience members can purchase tickets at the box office, which is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and one hour before each performance at the Radio Television Film and Performing Arts Building. For more information, call 940-565-2428, email dat-boxoffice@unt.edu or visit the Department of Dance and Theatre online.
Parking: Parking is free directly behind the RTFP Building Friday through Sunday. For more information about parking on the UNT campus please visit: UNT Parking and Transportation online.
What else: Directed by Sally Vahle, associate professor of voice and acting and recently named "Best Actress" from D Magazine's "Best of Big D 2015."
DENTON, Texas (UNT) – An all-female cast will perform in the play Fefu and her Friends, presented by the Department of Dance and Theatre at the University of North Texas.
The show will run Sept. 24-27 and Oct.1-4 at the Studio Theatre of the Radio Television Film and Performing Arts Building.
The play, written by Cuban-American playwright Maria Irene Fornés, takes place in 1935 in the New England home of Fefu (senior theatre major Tori Windham), who has invited her friends for the weekend to rehearse and upcoming salon event.
As they plot their project, they end up discussing – and clashing over – their personal and societal struggles. Fefu and Her Friends won an Obie Award, given to off-Broadway productions, in 1977.
The show is directed by Sally Vahle, associate professor of acting and voice at UNT who was just named "Best Actress" by D Magazine's "The Best of Big D 2015."
"Fefu and Her Friends is a terrific play for actresses," Vahle said. "The characters are compelling wonderfully challenging in many ways."
She noted the structure of the play is unusual and provides a unique opportunity for the actor to experience and investigate styles beyond realism. Vahle said, as director, she is interested in exploring ways to bring the story to life through innovative use of the black box theater space through the scenic, lighting and sound designs.
The play will give the audience a greater understanding of a work by an important playwright.
"They'll have the opportunity to see a play by Fornés, an important and 'game changing' playwright, and they'll get to see enormously talented UNT theatre actresses in artistic collaboration -- delving into challenging and artistically rich material," she said. "Like all good plays, Fefu and Her Friends offers the audience fantastic opportunities for personal insight and investigation."
Other cast members include freshman theatre major Hero Major as Cecilia, senior theatre major April Zavala as Sue, sophomore theatre major Jenna Davis-Jones as Cindy, junior theatre/history major Allison Wainscott as Christina, senior theatre major Nicole Romero as Emma, freshman theatre major Savannah Elayyach as Paula and junior theatre/English major Julie Petrasek as Julia.