College interviews on edgy topics will jump off the page and onto the stage in a new musical, "Campus Chatter," to be performed March 20-21 at Mitchell Hall.

March 20-21: 'Campus Chatter'

Master Players Concert Series to present new musical 'Campus Chatter'

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11:43 a.m., Feb. 20, 2015--College interviews on edgy topics will jump off the page and onto the stage in a new musical, Campus Chatter, to be performed at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, March 20-21, at Mitchell Hall on the University of Delaware campus in Newark.

Campus Chatter is the first musical theatre production professionally presented by the UD Master Players Concert Series and is part of its UDare Talent Project.

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University of Delaware graduates planning to attend Alumni Weekend are encouraged to register for the annual Blue Hen 5K walk and run, which will be held Sunday morning, June 5.

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The 20th annual June Lecture Series at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UD in Wilmington will be held June 6-9. Titled 'June a la Carte,' this year's program focuses on great political documents, feminism, world politics and a Newark cuisine sampler.

The project is designed to showcase the most talented UD performing art students, alumni and faculty in original musical productions promoting cultural understanding and exchange through the consideration of important social issues facing young Americans.

To order advance tickets or discounted subscription series by mail, download the ticket order form or visit the Master Players website. To order by phone, call 302-831-2204. 

Tickets for all events are $25 for adults; $20 for senior adults, alumni, faculty and staff; and $10 for students with ID. 

Starting this season, online purchase for tickets and pre-paid parking vouchers is available to all. Also, $5 student rush tickets will also be sold 30 minutes prior to the performance as a special offer from Master Players. 

About Campus Chatter

Pursuing a degree in higher education continues to be a rite of passage to adulthood for many Americans. But, as the college population has risen since the 1970s, and the times have changed from beanies and separate dorms with curfews to campus violence and more diversity than ever faced before, the realities of today’s college life have inspired a team of talented Delaware artisans, according to UD’s Xiang Gao, Trustees Distinguished Professor of Music and producing artistic director.

Based on interviews with college students conducted in 2012-13, Scott F. Mason, senior associate director with University Student Centers and an award-winning local playwright, has created 12 characters facing challenges common to all 21st-century college students.

They include an over-achieving African American on a predominantly white campus, a drug-dependent and competitive student leader with a dark secret, a transgender student (woman to man), an international student struggling with American idioms, a Christian-raised young woman with a Muslim father questioning her faith, a closeted gay football player coping with intolerance, and others dealing with the harsh challenges of campus shootings, cyberbullying, bystanders, alcohol and generally just “fitting in” while establishing their own “identity.”

In some of the 15 songs by Gao, an internationally-celebrated musician and 2014 Governor’s Award recipient, and Joyce Hill Stoner, Off-Broadway and New York Fringe lyricist, the students sing songs such as the Rotten Roommate Rap, discuss “PLDs” (poor life decisions) and dance to a Bollywood number Strange American Way.

The musical, presented by the University’s Master Players Concert Series, though provocative and thought-provoking, is also fun and funny and leaves the audience to debate its own perceptions, misperceptions and judgments, Gao said.

The cast consists of college students and community members with direction by Brian M. Touchette, musical direction by Marji Eldreth and choreography by Jody Anderson.

Set design is by Qi Wei, who has designed many major international events, and William Browning, designer for UD’s Resident Ensemble Players (REP). Projection art is by set designer Bin Li of the China National Centre for Performing Art; the logo and scenic art is by UD faculty artist David Brinley; and light design is by Steve Litterst. Finally, Broadway veteran Larry Raiken contributed additional material to the script. 

One of the goals of the artistic team, after the full-length version opens in March, is to reimagine and produce a shorter version of the show that could tour high schools and colleges to help spread important messages about contemporary life for young adults entering a challenging and complex society, Gao said.

For more information, visit the Campus Chatter website or “like” the production on Facebook.

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