UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. (November 3, 2021) – Tickets are still available for Governors State University Theatre and Performance Studies’ fall 2021 production A Delightful Quarantine by Mark Dunn which runs November 4 to 6 on the Center for Performing Arts stage.
Visiting Director Anthony Sims describes the play as “an honest reflection upon the current times we live in.”
Though the play doesn’t speak directly to COVID, themes will resonate with the audience. “We, as a society, are on the go. … What the quarantine taught us all is how to slow down and sit within ourselves. This is what the characters are going through in the play,’’ Sims said.
Resiliency and healing
Framed as a 1980s sitcom, Quarantine features seven households, each having its own unique story and with the characters in each house striving for personal and collective healing. Sims said the play teaches resiliency—one of the reasons he was drawn to direct the show.
“It appears we are in a constant uphill battle every day for stability due to this pandemic and other societal issues. If we can be resilient, perhaps we can find collective dignity. Public theatre is accessible again, but with complications. Everyone is required to wear a mask on stage, and I started to see work where directors and actors pretended to ignore the cloth or medical cover over the lower half of their faces. It frustrates me. There is an urgency to get back to normalcy when there never was a normal. It made me think of A Delightful Quarantine, and I knew this work could be an honest reflection upon the current times we live in.”
Sims said it’s good to be together again and is proud that their cast of 16 features ten GSU students and alumni. The full cast list is available on the GSU website.
“Everyone is having a fun time, as it is essential to collectively imagine instead of simply fitting into the mold of just one idea or source. You can expect to see familiar and new faces on the GSU stage. Everyone adds a unique element to our overall production,” he said.
Tickets
Audience members will be seated on stage with the performers and will serve as the studio audience. A Delightful Quarantine runs Thursday, November 4 through Saturday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $15 ($10 for GSU students) and can be purchased at CenterTickets.net, at the Box Office, or by calling 708-235-2222.
The Box Office is located at 1 University Parkway, University Park. Hours: Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., open until 6 p.m. on Thursdays and two hours prior to all performances.
Health and safety
Audience members are required to show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test (within the 72-hour period prior to the performance) until further notice. Proof can be an electronic, photo copy, or official CDC vaccination record card with photo ID at time of entry into the venue with valid ticket.
Face masks are required on campus, even if vaccinated. Reduced capacity and socially distanced seating may be in place based on Governors State University and State mandates. Hand sanitizer will be made readily available throughout the venue, and patrons are strongly encouraged to make use of them. If experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, guests are urged to stay home and not attend an event.
Related
- Governors State University Center for Performing Arts to start in-person season in October (August 28, 2021)
