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.

Enjoy “Othello” under the stars at TCC’s Shakespeare in the Grove

Mistrust, violence and intrigue highlight the classic tale of “Othello,” on stage at Tidewater Community College’s 22^nd Shakespeare in the Grove.

Free, outdoor public performances will be held June 20-24, starting at 8 p.m., weather permitting.

A sneak peek of "Othello" at Food Trucks on the Square on June 6. — A sneak peek of “Othello” on June 6.

This is the third production at the new outdoor “grove” platform, located behind the Pass Building on TCC’s Chesapeake Campus, 1428 Cedar Road. A cast and crew of more than 20 student and veteran actors and 15 technicians will bring the Bard’s tragedy to life.

TCC’s version of the play is set at the end of the Civil War and Othello, the captain of the 54^th Massachusetts Regiment, has secretly married Desdemona, the daughter of a prominent senator. When the senator learns the truth, he promptly disowns her.

TCC and the Chesapeake Fine Arts Commission sponsor Shakespeare in the Grove. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and a picnic dinner. Insect repellent is also recommended.

For more information, contact Matthew Gorris at mgorris@tcc.edu or 757-822-5219.

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.

TCC Theatre to hold open auditions for “Othello” on April 21

Tidewater Community College’s Theatre Department will hold open auditions for “Othello,” this summer’s Shakespeare in the Grove production.

Auditions will be April 21 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Black Box Theatre in the Academic Building on the Chesapeake Campus, 1428 Cedar Road.

Each audition will take about five minutes, and roles are available for about 15 actors. Actors should have a two-minute, memorized monologue prepared.

Rehearsals will begin April 30 and will run Monday – Thursday from 7-10 p.m.

The production will be from June 20-24.

To request an audition, email Trey Clarkson, director, at clarksoe@chsvb.org.

To express an interest in a technical position, contact Matthew Gorris at 757-822-7041 or mgorris@tcc.edu.

TCC presents “An Evening of Lit Art,” April 4-7

If you love a zany story told on stage, then Tidewater Community College’s “An Evening of Lit Art” is for you!

The presentation is a collaboration of the college’s Creative Writing Club, Literary Festival and Theatre Arts department. Students will present their original poems, stories and other writings and perform in Hilliard Booth’s one-act play, “The Red Lamp.” TCC Professor Matthew Gorris will direct the production.

Performances will be held April 4-7 at 7:30 p.m., in the Black Box Theatre in the Academic Building on the Chesapeake Campus, 1428 Cedar Road.

“The Red Lamp” revolves around a hungry tramp who breaks into a house and recognizes a lamp that supposedly brings good luck when lit. A son befriends the tramp, who leaves when the boy’s aunt returns. The boy agrees to light the lamp after his aunt leaves the house as a signal for the tramp to return. A daughter also agrees to use the same signal to let her lover know her aunt, who disapproves of the match, has left the house. The aunt also lights the lamp to signal a neighbor to prepare tea. Ensuing complications are fast, furious and unexpected.

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

Tickets can also be purchased with a credit card at the business office in the Pass Building on the Chesapeake Campus Monday and Tuesday between 8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

For more information, call 757-822-5219 or email mgorris@tcc.edu.

Also, mark your calendars for TCC’s Shakespeare in the Grove’s presentation of “Othello,” on June 20-24 at 8 p.m., weather permitting.