Ann Arbor Civic Theatre to Stage Absurdist Classic RHINOCEROS This Spring
Ann Arbor Civic Theatre will present Eugène Ionesco's RHINOCEROS this spring
Ann Arbor Civic Theatre will present Eugène Ionesco's absurdist classic Rhinoceros, directed by Kat Walsh. Performances are April 17-19 and 24-26, 2026, at the A2CT Studio, located at 322 West Ann St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Performances on Fridays and Saturdays are at 7:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $17 for seniors, and $10 for students.
"If it'd happened somewhere else -- in another country -- and we'd found out about it in the papers, then we could just quite calmly discuss it... But when you yourself are actually caught up in it -- when you're suddenly confronted by the brutal reality of what's happening -- you can't not feel directly affected -- the shock's too violent to stay completely detached." – Berenger, Rhinoceros
Ionesco's 1959 absurdist play follows people in a small provincial town in France who turn into rhinoceroses, exploring themes of conformity and the rise of fascism. Community is at the heart of this production. Over 140 individuals joined Civic's call to produce the show. Their contributions make Rhinoceros a play not only for community, but by community. The director and cast joined University of Michigan classes for a read-through and to decipher scenes from the play. And the audience gets to participate too! This fully immersive production draws unapologetic parallels to our current political climate, with audience members able to sign up for text notifications during the play.
“In 2012, UMS hosted Théâtre de la Ville's production of Rhinoceros. It was visually stunning, yet at the time, it felt distant from my daily life. That is not the case anymore. The ground has shifted nationally. The language has shifted. The temperature has shifted,” says director Kat Walsh. “With a deep desire not simply to comment but an urgency to act, I returned to Rhinoceros to process our current environment.”
The talented local cast of Rhinoceros features Joseph McDonald as Berenger, Sara Batool as Botard, Ammar Khalid as Cafe Proprietor, Sara Long as Daisy, Brittany Batell as Dudard, Ramone Gilbert Williams as Grocer/Porter/Old Man/Typist, Nicole Arruda as Grocer's Wife, Kaela Parnicky as Housewife, David Higbee Williams as Jean, Alec Korotney as Logician, Elizabeth Wagner as Madame Boeuf, Chris Grimm as Monsieur Papillon, Matthew Miller as Old Gentleman, and Nilgun Basaran Kaya as Waitress/Old Woman.
Rhinoceros contains parallels to the current societal environment, a scene includes a fake dead cat, and audience members may be exposed to dust as a prop element (complimentary masks will be available). Additionally, this is an immersive production where actors interact with the audience during the pre-show and intermission.
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