TCC Theatre presents ShakesFeare in the Grave “The Tragedy of Macbeth”

Tidewater Community College Theatre department presents ShakesFeare in the Grave “The Tragedy of Macbeth” on Friday, Nov. 5 and Saturday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Chesapeake Campus, 1428 Cedar Road.

The play is a condensed, one-hour, production and will take place on the Black Box Theater patio, outside the Chesapeake Academic Building, weather permitting.

The play begins with a Scottish lord, Macbeth, becoming convinced by a trio of witches that he will become the next king of Scotland. His ambitious wife supports his plans of seizing power. Macbeth kills the king and becomes the new king and kills more people out of paranoia. The result is a civil war erupting to overthrow Macbeth.

Guests are invited to enjoy open seating on a first-come, first-serve basis. The show is “pay what you can” and everyone is welcome. For more information, email Matt Gorris, assistant professor of Theatre at mgorris@tcc.edu.

Award-winning “Doubt: A Parable” presented by TCC Theatre

TCC Theatre presents the Tony Award-winning play “Doubt: A Parable” for seven shows in late February and early March.

All performances will be held in the Black Box Theater in the Academic Building on TCC’s Chesapeake Campus, 1428 Cedar Road.

“Doubt,” a 2004 play by American playwright John Patrick Shanley, is set in a fictional school in the Bronx. In this powerful work, school principal Sister Aloysius takes matters into her own hands when she suspects the parish priest, Father Flynn, of improper relations with a young student.

Winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award, “Doubt” is a gripping story that is less about scandal and more about the nuanced questions of moral certainty.

Performance dates are:

Feb. 27-29 at 7:30 p.m.
March 1 at 2 p.m.
March 4-6 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, alumni and military members. Payment is by cash or checks at the door. The box office opens 45 minutes prior to show time.

Tickets can be purchased with a credit card at the Chesapeake Campus Business Office in the Pass Building during regular business hours.

Reserve tickets by calling 757-822-5219 or emailing Professor Matthew Gorris at mgorris@tcc.edu.

Holiday-themed play “The Seafarer” to be presented by TCC Theatre in December

Set on Christmas Eve, “The Seafarer” comes to life on stage at Tidewater Community College for two weekends in December.

All performances will be held in the Black Box Theater in the Academic Building on TCC’s Chesapeake Campus, 1428 Cedar Road.

“The Seafarer,” a 2006 play by Irish playwright Conor McPherson, is set in a coastal suburb north of Dublin.

The play centers on James “Sharky” Harkin, an alcoholic who has returned to live with his blind, aging brother. Drinking buddies Ivan and Nicky are holed up at the house too, hoping to play some cards. But with the arrival of a stranger from the distant past, the stakes are raised ever higher.

This play contains adult language and situations. No one under 13 will be permitted entry.

Performance dates are:

Dec. 4-7 at 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 8 at 2 p.m.
Dec. 11-13 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, alumni and military members. Payment is by cash or check at the door. The box office opens 45 minutes prior to show time.

Tickets can be purchased with a credit card at the Chesapeake Campus Business Office in the Pass Building during regular business hours.

Reserve tickets by calling 757-822-5219 or emailing Professor Matthew Gorris at mgorris@tcc.edu. The tickets will be waiting at the box office the night of the show.

For more information, visit https://www.tcc.edu/about-tcc/arts-tcc/.

TCC Theatre brings “Animal Farm” to the stage for two weekends in November

Tidewater Community College Theatre will present “Animal Farm” for two weekends in November.

All performances will be held in the Black Box Theater in the Academic Building on TCC’s Chesapeake Campus, 1428 Cedar Road.

“Animal Farm” is a satire with a sting, adapted for the stage by Nelson Bond from the allegorical novel by George Orwell. Led by three pigs, the disgruntled animals overthrow their human owner, take control of the farm and create a new society where “All animals are equal.” The pigs take charge, but soon the new society becomes corrupt

Intermingling humor and drama, “Animal Farm” leaves audiences shaken with the tale of a tragedy that happened in a mythical barnyard far away but could happen in our own backyard.

Performance dates are:

Nov. 7-9 at 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 10 at 2 p.m.
Nov. 14-16 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, alumni and military members. Payment is by cash or check at the door. The box office opens 45 minutes prior to show time.

Tickets can be purchased with a credit card at the Chesapeake Campus Business Office in the Pass Building during normal business hours.

For more information, email Matthew Gorris, assistant professor of theatre arts, at mgorris@tcc.edu or visit https://www.tcc.edu/about-tcc/arts-tcc/.

TCC Theatre presents “God of Carnage” beginning Nov. 2

Ruckus in the family room.

Tidewater Community College Theatre will present “God of Carnage” for three weekends in November, beginning Nov. 2.

All performances will be held in the Black Box Theatre, which is in the Academic Building on TCC’s Chesapeake Campus, 1428 Cedar Road.

Winner of a 2009 Tony Award for Best Play, the dark comedy by Yasmina Reza features four actors on stage portraying a childish evening of name-calling, tears and tantrums. Following a playground fight between two boys, two sets of Brooklyn parents meet to resolve the matter, a conversation that unravels into outlandish bickering.

This play contains adult language that may not be suitable for all audiences.

Performance dates are:

Nov 2-3 at 7:30 p.m. with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. on Nov. 4
8-10 at 7:30 p.m.
15-17 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Payment is by cash or check at the door. The box office opens 45 minutes prior to show time.

Tickets can be purchased with a credit card at the Chesapeake Campus Business Office in the Pass Building during normal business hours.

For more information, call 757-822-5219 or email Matthew Gorris, assistant professor of theatre arts, at mgorris@tcc.edu.

Theater scholarship honors late student’s memory

Joshua Hastings was 22 years old and just months away from graduating with a degree in theater from Tidewater Community College when he died tragically in a house fire.

Hastings was a beloved classmate and an active student who had performed in “Romeo and Juliet,” “Barefoot in the Park,” and “Bus Stop.” He played a crooked priest in “The Pearl,” stepping into the role just before opening night.

His last role was as a chorus member in “Antigone.”

Matthew Gorris, head of the technical theatre department at the time, was devastated. “We canceled everything for a week,” he said. The department dedicated “Antigone” to Hastings and started plans for a scholarship fund in his name.

Matthew Gorris, program head of TCC Theatre

Gorris established the Josh Hastings Memorial Theatre Scholarship in 2008 through his family business. The scholarship, which can be applied toward tuition, books and fees, is awarded to a theater student who demonstrates academic excellence and shares Hastings’ passion for performance.

This year’s recipient, Anthony Fattizzi, has many of Hasting’s characteristics, including his upbeat personality and love of the stage.

One big difference between the two: which side of the curtain they prefer.

Hastings loved to perform. Fattizzi’s passion is behind the scenes.

“I started acting in sixth grade,” Fattizzi said. “In high school I moved to crew and I’ve done that ever since. I love the technical side of the theater – light and sound.”

Fattizzi will graduate in December with a Career Studies Certificate in Theatre Arts. He’s looking forward to working on Shakespeare in the Grove at the Chesapeake Campus over the summer and completing a theater internship this fall.

The scholarship has helped relieve some of the financial pressure of an arts degree. “Professor Gorris uses textbooks that are free and available online,” Fattizzi said. “The only cost of my classes is the tuition and fees, which I apply my scholarship award toward.”

Gorris, now program head of TCC Theatre, stresses you don’t need to be a current performer or technician to get involved in the program.

“We encourage students who have not experienced live theater to take in a show and broaden their horizons,” he said. “The arts are all around us – in the form of books, television and radio. We show students how to be part of all of this, even if in a small way.”

Joshua Hastings - TCC Theatre — Joshua Hastings performing in a TCC Theatre production.

Hastings was awarded a posthumous degree. He planned to transfer to Christopher Newport University and talked about becoming a theater teacher.

His memory lives on in the theater program at the Chesapeake Campus.

“Some of Josh’s friends are still involved in the program,” Gorris said. “Every year I tell my theater students about Josh. His friends and I meet to talk about him. We never forget him.”

For more information about available scholarships at TCC, visit www.tcc.edu/scholarships. To learn more about establishing a scholarship at TCC, contact the TCC Educational Foundation at foundation@tcc.edu or 757-822-1080.