By Steve Holt, Copy Editor
The ACU Department of Theatre will present the dinner theatre production Joyful Noise, the story of composer George Frederic Handel and his most famous oratorio, Messiah, from Feb. 6-22.
The play follows the composer through a period when no one wanted his operas anymore, and his career seemed to be on the skids. Handel comes to the point in his career, after 31 opera in 27 years, when he must create a piece to prove he’s still got it.
The Feb. 8, show will be a special dinner theatre performance to celebrate the opening of the Fulks Theatre in the new Williams Performing Arts Center, with Dr. Royce Money presiding as master of ceremonies. Complimentary valet parking will be provided for this show, preceding the gourmet dinner in the Fulks Theatre lobby, serenaded by a baroque musical ensemble. Theatre-goers will also receive an expanded souvenir program signed by the playwright, Tim Stover.
Adam Hester, the play’s director and chair of the department of theatre, stressed the show is not a musical, but the audience will likely gasp and laugh during it.
“There are many thrilling aspects about coming to this production,” Hester said. “It is a funny and provocative story about artists. All of this is a true story that brings you to a thrilling climax in the end.”
“It’s very funny, you get to hear a lot of crazy accents, the costume and sets will be beautiful and you get to see the new building,” said Kelly Haseltine, sophomore theatre major from Abilene.
Hester said the opening of the Fulks Theatre would be reason enough to attend the show.
“You get to experience a remarkable facility,” Hester said. “We will be performing in a great theatre using state-of-the-art technology. Getting to experience a play in this facility would be exciting.”
Joyful Noise will be performed Feb. 6-8, 14-15 and 21-22, and a ticket for dinner, dessert and the show is $25 per person. Tickets to see the performance only are $12. The Feb. 8 inaugural show tickets are $50, are subject to availability and show will be “black tie optional.”
Call 674-ARTS for Joyful Noise tickets or visit the box office in the Williams Center from 1-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
