A Performance of Musik
15 April 2011 A Performance of Musik
Eighteen-year-old Klara Huhnerwadel is full of excitement and optimism when she leaves her mothers village in Switzerland for a place at a German music conservatory. But an affair with her middle-aged vocal teacher pushes her into darkness. Pregnant Klara is pressured into an abortion. But in the Germany of 1905, abortion is a criminal act, and as the play opens love-sick Klara is forced to flee to Belgium. Months later, when manipulative teacher Josef Reissner deems it safe, Klara is persuaded back to Germany by Josef, where she is arrested, imprisoned, and comes close to madness. Later, she moves back into the Reissner home, to resume her musical career and a relationship with Josef that he insists is purely platonic. But is it. . .?
This is the synopsis for the German play Musik, written by Frank Wedekind and translated by Neil Fleming. Directed by Professor of Theatre Robert Gross, the play opens in the Bartlett Theatre for a three-night run on Thursday, April 14.
Gross refers to the evocative work as A scathing social portrait by the author of Spring Awakening and The Lulu Plays.
The all-HWS cast includes Tyler Hatton-Bullock 14 as the aspiring singer, James Deitrich 14 as her voice coach, Bevin OConnor 12 as his wife, Ricky Nix 14 as a crusading journalist, Ben Galef 14 as the governor of a prison, Molly Bilinski 12 as a prison warden, Alex Corless 13 as a rural doctor, and Brittany Lopez 14 as the singers mother.
Musik will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 14, Friday, April 15, and Saturday, April 16 in the Bartlett Theatre in Coxe Hall. Tickets are $5 general admission, and free to HWS students, faculty and staff. Tickets will be available from the box office in Coxe Hall beginning at 6:30 p.m. each night.