An Evening in the Theatre of the Absurd. Beyond

Posted by CotoBlogzz

Mission Viejo, CA – The Department of Theatre Arts at Saddleback College has scheduled  three one act plays by Eugène Ionesco, for the first week in May with the May 3^rd already sold out. 

Ionesco, a Romanian and French playwright and dramatist, and one of the foremost playwrights of the Theatre of the Absurd. Beyond ridiculing the most banal situations, Ionesco's plays depict in a tangible way the solitude and insignificance of human existence.  Saddleback students will be performing The Bald Soprano, The Leader, and The Chairon May 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th at 8 pm and May 6^th at 3 pm in the Studio Theatre. 

The Theatre of the Absurd,  Théâtre de l'Absurde in French,  is  absurdist fiction written by a number of primarily European playwrights in the late 1960s, as well as one for the style of theatre which has evolved from their work. Their work expressed the belief that human existence has no meaning or purpose and therefore all communication breaks down.

Other playwrights commonly associated with the Theatre of the Absurd include Samuel Beckett, Jean Genet, Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Fernando Arrabal, Suzanne Carbone and Edward Albee.

Directed by William Francis McGuire, these absurdist sketches tend to express modern feelings of alienation and the impossibility and futility of communication with surreal comic force where language becomes rarefied, with words and material objects gaining a life of their own.  If you haven’t experienced an Ionesco play, now’s your chance and the price is right at $5.

Tickets can be purchased by calling (949) 582-4656 (noon-4 Tuesday-Saturday) and online at www.saddleback.edu/arts.  Prices are $5 general admission.

Riley Moriarty, Shadi Ghaheri, Chelsea Martin

Photographer:  Ken Kinder

The Department of Theatre Arts program at Saddleback College produces several fully-staged shows in which students are encouraged to participate.  Theatre Arts students are given the opportunity to audition for every production and Theatre Arts students are given priority in the casting process.  In addition there are numerous opportunities for students to contribute in backstage activities of all college productions.

Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Pkwy in Mission Viejo, just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit.  Free parking is available in Lot 12.  Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the third left to Theatre Circle, turning right into Lot 12.

Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community.  Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals.  For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu and for Fine Arts information, please visit www.saddleback.edu/arts.