Terry Layman To Direct GHOSTS At Hartt

Actor Training students present Ghosts, the next theatre performance of The Hartt School's 2011-2012 season. Ghosts, written by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, is directed by guest artist Terry Layman and runs Thursday, November 17, Friday, November 18, and Saturday, November 19, at 7:30 PM, and Sunday, November 20, at 3:00 PM. Performances are in the Kent McCray Theater at the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center, 35 Westbourne Parkway, Hartford. Admission is $20 with discounts for seniors, students, and groups. Please visit www.hartford.edu/hartt for more information or to purchase tickets.

Layman describes Ibsen's Ghosts as "revolutionary" and "one of the most insidious pieces of theatre of its time. It is almost like Ibsen took every verboten thing and threw it in the play - incest, venereal disease, prostitution, euthanasia - to help shine a bright light on the problems of society." He continues, "Great moral dialectics are at work in this play. Our job with these actors is to get them to live that in flesh and bone...and nobody made that more challenging than Ibsen. This is a fascinating piece for young actors to tackle, and our students are throwing themselves into it."

Layman added, "The play features the struggle of a woman breaking free from the confining expectations society has placed on her and the struggle of all of us to find true joy in our lives."

Hartt composition students provide music for every Actor Training production throughout the year. Layman says that Brian Simalchik, who composed the music that underscored this production, truly is "using his music and sound as a guide to the storytelling."

Actor Training students performing in Ghosts include Caitlin Blauvelt of Hillsborough, NJ, as Regina Enstrand; Matthew Reddick of Gansevoort, NY, as Jakob Enstrand; Seth Peterson of South Bristol, ME, as Pastor Manders; Tara Reuter of Fairfield, CT, as Mrs. Helene Alving; and Josh Boscarino of Ellington, CT, as Osvald Alving.

The Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts school of the University of Hartford that offers innovative degree programs in music, dance, and theatre. Founded in 1920, Hartt has been an integral part of the University of Hartford since its charter merged the then Hartt School of Music, the Hartford Art School, and Hillyer College to create the University in 1957. 2010 markEd Hartt's 90th year of providing world-class performing arts education to students from Greater-Hartford and around the world. With more than 400 concerts, recitals, plays, master classes, dance performances, and musical theatre productions a year, performance is central to Hartt's curriculum. For more information about The Hartt School, visit www.hartford.edu/hartt.

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