THE UT DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE & DANCE PRESENTS
THE FANTASTICAL ADVENTURE STORY,
STILL LIFE WITH IRIS
BY STEVEN DIETZ

OCTOBER 31 – NOVEMBER 9, 2008
AT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER’S
B. IDEN PAYNE THEATRE

TICKETS NOW ON SALE!

The University of Texas Department of Theatre & Dance presents the magical adventure story for all ages, STILL LIFE WITH IRIS, October 31 – November 9, 2008, at The University of Texas at Austin Performing Arts Center’s B. Iden Payne Theatre. Written by UT’s own award-winning professor of Playwriting and Screenwriting, Steven Dietz, STILL LIFE WITH IRIS chronicles a young girl’s quest to regain her memory, her past, and with it, her home.

STILL LIFE WITH IRIS is a sophisticated and engaging story of a courageous young girl on journey through a magical world, on a mission to find her home through memories of her past. Under the direction of nationally recognized M.F.A. in Drama and Theatre for Youth candidate, Wendy Bable, Still Life with Iris is imaginative, striking and playful, appealing to audiences of all ages.

STILL LIFE WITH IRIS was originally commissioned and produced by Seattle Children’s Theatre, and was inspired by the Image Influenced Illusions of Steffan Soule and Cooper Edens from their book, Dreams, Magic, and Miracles. Its development was supported by a major grant from the John F. Kennedy Center’s Fund for New American Plays, the first play for young audiences to receive such and award.

Director, Wendy Bable comments passionately, “I fell in love with Still Life with Iris the first time I read it several years ago, and have wanted to direct it since…What captured

my attention was the depth of its simplicity. What I mean is, it reveals a story that is expansively universal without being general or diffuse. I find that when I’m asked what this play is about, I am slow to describe the play in one concise sentence. Still Life is “about” a lot of things—family, identity, who decides what is “good,” what happens when our past and memories are taken from us, just to name a few—and I think therein lies its brilliance. It gives the audience multiple entry points into what is in essence a very simple story. “

STILL LIFE WITH IRIS features Set Design by Kevin Beltz, Costume Design by Ariana Schwartz, and Lighting Design by Will Sutliff.

STILL LIFE WITH IRIS is produced by special arrangement with DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY of Woodstock, Illinois.

Families are encouraged to attend a pre-performance Family Day event on November 2nd. For more information, please contact Still Life with Iris Outreach Coordinator, Jenn Hartman at jenn-hartmann@yahoo.com.

Join us on Friday, October 31 for an Opening Night Reception immediately following the performance.

The B. Iden Payne Theatre (23rd St. & San Jacinto) is located in the F. Loren Winship Drama Building on the University of Texas campus. For a map of the campus, please visit http://www.utexas.edu/maps/main/buildings/win.html.

CALENDAR LISTING:

October 31 – November 9, 2008 – The UT Department of Theatre & Dance present STILL LIFE WITH IRIS at the UT Performing Center’s B. Iden Payne Theatre, located in the F. Loren Winship Drama Building (23rd St. & San Jacinto). A map of the campus: http://www.utexas.edu/maps/main/buildings/win.html). Show times are October 31, November 1, 5, 6 & 7 at 8:00 p.m.; November 1, 2 & 9 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets ($20 adults, $17 UT faculty & staff, $15 student) are now on sale and may be purchased at the following authorized ticket outlets, which include the Frank Erwin Center, most H-E-B stores and all Texas Box Office outlets, online at www.utpac.org, or by calling (512) 477-6060 or (800) 982-BEVO.

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE!
Get them at www.utpac.org, (512) 477-6060, (800) 982 – BEVO, Frank Erwin Center Box Office, All Texas Box Office outlets including most H-E-B stores.

Media Contact:
Gene Bartholomew; 512.471.0632; gbartholomew@mail.utexas.edu
Amanda Flores; 512.232.5337; amflores@mail.utexas.edu

Download the Still Life with Iris Press Release as a PDF document