PRESS CONTACT:
Jeremy Allen Thompson
(802) 656-0094
jeremy.thompson@uvm.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2002

Cast Members Use Trapeze, Stilts Experiences to Get Ready for Dancing at Lughnasa

Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa is not filled with spectacle. In fact, many would be more apt to classify it as realism. However, that doesn't mean its cast members don't find unique ways to prepare for their roles.

After working this summer with the renowned Friches Théâtre Urbain in Paris, France and the Shakespeare Center of the Shakespeare Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, Colleen Horan (Maggie), Lauren Kelston (Agnes), and Robyn Buchanan King (Chris) draw from their European studies, including work on stilts and trapeze, to apply the same concepts to their characters in ŠLughnasa..

"Our work in Paris on the trapeze, on the stilts, and on the ground helped us to connect to our bodies," says Kelston. "We learned to center ourselves and discovered what we can achieve onstage physically." Horan continues: "We each found our niche. I had a hard time with the trapeze, but I was dancing on the stilts!"

Horan, Kelston, and Buchanan King traveled to Europe as part of the University of Vermont Eurotheatre program, where students spend a semester preparing for study abroad and then travel together for two weeks of intensive training overseas. The project is led by Dr. Lynne Greeley, Associate Professor of Theatre.

The foundation of performance is confidence and I saw the most wonderful acquiring of confidence throughout the program," says Greeley. "From a teacher's point-of-view it's very exciting."

Along with taking on the physical challenges of performance, Eurotheatre encouraged new ways of interpreting character, approaching text, and beginning a career in the theatre. "I've been able to incorporate a lot of what I learned in Europe into my classes and my work on ŠLughnasa," says Kelston. For instance, the students were asked to approach characters from Shakespeare as animals ­ Kelston found that seeing Titania from A Midsummer Night's Dream as a panther freed her interpretation.

If given the opportunity, Robyn Buchanan King would definitely participate in Eurotheatre again. "The experience overall has taught me to broaden my interest in theatre ­ I realize it doesn't always need to be literal. Suddenly, I'm doing things I never would have considered before."

Colleen Horan, Lauren Kelston, and Robyn Buchanan King will be featured in Dancing at Lughnasa alongside five other talented young actors. Presented by The UVM Theatre, ŠLughnasa is generously co-sponsored by Ben Franklin Creative Crafts & Framing, and will appear on the Royall Tyler stage October 2-13, 2002. Tickets starting at $10 are on sale now and may be purchased at www.uvm.edu/theatre or by calling (802) 656-2094, Monday through Friday, noon to 5:30 p.m. For more information about Dancing at Lughnasa, visit The UVM Theatre online at www.uvm.edu/theatre .

# # #