Six Dallas-area colleges and universities open theater productions this week

by Shawn Parikh

With college back in full swing, campuses all around the metroplex are beginning their fall season. Unfortunately, the shows run for a very limited time, but what's great is how cheap they are. Make sure to check out what is being offered by the theater departments at Cedar Valley College, Tarrant County College (Northwest Campus), Tarrant County College (Northeast Campus), Collin College, Texas Woman's University, and University of Texas at Arlington:

• The Diary of Anne Frank, presented by TCC Theatre Northwest from October 8-12. Forced into hiding during the Holocaust, the German-Jewish teenager Anne Frank, her family and four others spent 25 months during World War II living secretly in an annex of rooms above her father’s office in Amsterdam. Anne Frank’s diary is one of the most haunting stories we have in our shared human experience. A testament to the human spirit, it illuminates Anne Frank’s enduring belief in hope and love during one of the darkest moments in history. Through her voice, we encounter a timeless, moving and luminous legacy of courage. Box office can be reached at 817-515-7724 for tickets (free-$6).
• True West, presented by TCC Northeast Playhouse from October 8-11. The play is about two brothers: Austin is an ambitious Hollywood screenwriter working on a potential million-dollar deal when an ill wind off the desert blows in Lee, a hobo thief with a six-pack and a case of sibling rivalry. The conflict arises when a film producer offers Lee to write a "true" western. In a role reversal as intricate as it is riveting, the brothers head toward Shepard's outrageous version of the Western movie showdown. Tickets (free-$6) can be reserved by calling the Box Office at 817-515-6687.
• Scapino!, presented by UTA Department of Theatre Arts from October 8-12. This comic masterpiece is set in a dockside ristorante in Naples, and begins with a song made up from the menu. Two friends, whose fathers’ threaten their natural love by arranging their marriages, turn to Scapino, a wily servant, to fix the dire situation. An extraordinary production, it received rave reviews from every critic on Broadway! Chases, word play, mistaken identities and, of course, a happy ending make this play a rip-roaring good time! Call 817-272-2669 for tickets ($7-10).
• Helen, presented by Texas Woman's University from October 9-12. This modern adaptation of “Helen of Troy” seeks to discover whether one can rewrite their past, especially if that past was an illusion. She exists in an Egyptian hotel for seventeen years waiting for the war to end. Helen has spent every day alone in her hotel room with no visitors except her Egyptian servant. The play takes place on the day when Helen’s waiting finally comes to an end. She is visited by fellow Greek sex symbol, Io; the well known Greek goddess Athena; and finally by the husband she feared she had lost, Menelaus. For ticket reservations ($5-10), call 940-898-2020.
• Big Love, presented by Collin Theatre Center from October 9-19. A dazzling new drama by Charles L. Mee, based on The Suppliant Women by Aeschylus. Fifty brides flee their fifty grooms and seek refuge in a villa on the coast of Italy in this modern re-making of one of the western world's oldest plays. The fifty grooms catch up with the brides, and mayhem ensues: the grooms arrive by helicopter in their flight suits, the women throw themselves over and over again to the ground, pop songs and romantic dances are performed. Finally, unable to escape their forced marriages, 49 of the brides murder 49 of the grooms… and one bride falls in love! Request tickets ($6-8) online or by calling 972-881-5809.
• Seussical the Musical, presented by Cedar Valley College's Family Music Theater from October 10-25. Seussical The Musical brings to life our favorite Dr. Seuss characters including The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, Gerturde McFuzz, Lazy Mayzie and all the Whos of Whoville in one fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza. These classic, colorful tales are seamlessly brought together by Jojo – a young boy and “thinker of strange and wonderful thinks!” As each story unfolds, it reveals the relevance and profound nature of Seuss’ subtle themes, making this a musical for all ages. The score emerges as a marvelous Seussian gumbo of musical styles, ranging from Latin to pop, swing to gospel, and R&B to funk with a live band. Call 972-860-2994 for tickets ($5-10).