Andrew Palermo's World Premiere of NICKEL MINES to Play Claire Trevor School of the Arts, 5/31-6/7

The Claire Trevor School of the Arts Department of Drama presents Nickel Mines, an original work by Creator/Director/Choreographer and faculty member Andrew Palermo, as its final offering in a season which has focused on the theme of Justice/Exploration of Citizenship. A non-traditional musical combining spoken dialogue with interpretive movement and a powerful original score by composer Dan Dyer, Nickel Mines tells the story of a school shooting in the show's namesake Amish town, and investigates the ramifications of that event and the various responses it evoked.

Built on the assertion that history offers us more relevant drama than fiction, this original script (co-written by Andrew Palermo and Shannon Stoeke) prioritizes allegiance to the facts of the case, utilizing transcripts of the crime and its aftermath and allowing the story to emerge through dramatic interpretation. The shooting is presented in vignette form through various perspectives, sometimes finding voice in a universal narrator. At its core, Nickel Mines is an exploration of the power of forgiveness, and the ways in which choosing forgiveness over retribution mitigates the sensationalism and cyclical escalation born of revenge. It is also an examination of the stories of lives spoken in their own words, a rethinking of the notion of victimhood, and a survey of the public's preconceptions about Amish religion and culture.

Palermo says the piece aims to "look at the events of that fateful October morning through a variety of lenses while making no judgments, professing no morals. The victims, the family of the killer, and the community all have a voice in this new theatrical work.

"Utilizing both historical and interpretive text, music and movement, Nickel Mines shines a light on this recent tragedy, and in the process, hopes to continue a dialogue on how violence, faith, forgiveness and justice speak to and interact with one another."

Nickel Mines finds a powerful voice that walks the line between the ephemeral and the documentary, artfully giving life to a moment in history that continues to resonate today.

Performances run at the Claire Trevor Theatre: Evenings / May 31, June 5, 6, 7 at 8:00 p.m.; June 1, 3, 4 at 7:30 p.m.; and one Matinee on June 1* at 2:00 p.m. *Ticketholders: Join us for a post-performance Talk Back with the creative team and cast. Tickets: General $20; Seniors, Groups 10+, UCI Faculty & Staff - $18; UCI Students and Children under 17 - $11. Purchase tickets through the Arts Box Office (949) 824-2787 or online at www.arts.uci.edu/tickets.

Times Higher Education ranked UC Irvine first among U.S. universities under 50 years old and fifth worldwide. Since its founding in 1965 as one of UC Irvine's original schools, the School of the Arts (renamed for actress Claire Trevor in 2000) has become one of the nation's leading educators in visual and performing arts. Recently awarded "Best Arts Organization" in Orange County by the Coast Community Awards, the School offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Art, Dance, Drama and Music, a minor in Digital Arts, and one of the few university doctoral programs in Drama. The Claire Trevor School of the Arts is located at 4000 Mesa Road, Irvine, CA 92617. For more information, visit us at www.arts.uci.edu. For maps, driving directions and parking information go to www.arts.uci.edu/directions.