The 2014-2015 Theatre Season at Missouri Western State University presents “Of Mice and Men,” John Steinbeck’s story of friendship, belonging and tragedy during the Great Depression, Oct. 3-11 in the Potter Hall Theater at Missouri Western. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3 and 4, 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9, 10 and 11. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for Missouri Western faculty and staff, and $6 for students and can be purchased online at mwsutix.com, by phone at 816-271-4452 or in person at the Potter Hall Box Office. There will be a “Talkback” following the Opening Night performance, at approximately 9:45 p.m., featuring noted Steinbeck scholar Dr. Brian Railsback. The play is directed by Dallas Henry, assistant professor of theatre and cinema.
“Of Mice and Men” tells the story of two migrant farm workers in California during the Great Depression in search of their shared dream: settling down on their own piece of land. The pair, no strangers to trouble, soon find themselves reeling from the fallout of an innocent misunderstanding which spirals out of control and leaves the two men, bound together by friendship, facing an earth-shattering decision.
Steinbeck, one of the great American writers of the 20th century, adapted his own novella into a stage play, which was chosen as Best Play of 1938 by the New York Drama Critics’ Circle. The source material is widely read in schools and well-known to audiences, and Henry said this production will remain faithful.
“I’ve done more research on this play than I have on any production, and we try to stay true to what Steinbeck has given us,” he said. “Even if you know the ending, you’ll be drawn in scene by scene and really be pulling for these characters to achieve their American dream.”
Steinbeck’s description of George and Lennie pursuing their American dream during tough economic times is still very much relevant today, Henry said, with the recession of 2008 fresh in memories.
“We all lived it, we know families who lived it,” he said. “It may not be on the magnitude of the Great Depression, but people were having tough times. It is relevant. It is happening now.”
The Opening Night Talkback after the show Oct. 3 features a widely published expert on the literature of John Steinbeck. Dr. Brian Railsback is the Founding Dean of the Honors College at Western Carolina University, where he also serves as a professor of English. He has written one book and co-edited two others on Steinbeck, as well as numerous book chapters and articles, and has written two novels. He has lectured frequently at the Steinbeck Center in Salinas, Calif., and in 2012 traveled to the Georgia Republic at the invitation of the U.S. Embassy to speak on Steinbeck’s politics.
Other productions in the 2014-2015 season include “The Pirates of Penzance” Nov. 13-16, “Three Days of Rain” Feb. 13-21 and “Urinetown: The Musical” April 2-12. Season tickets are available for $40.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.