UC Davis Department of Theatre and Dance
Urinetown and fig. a: The Heart coming to UC Davis this spring
Mindy Cooper |
Granada Artist-in-Residence Mindy Cooper, who maintains an active career as both a director/choreographer and performer, will direct and choreograph the rollicking musical spoof Urinetown, which opens on May 24 in UC Davis’ Main Theatre. Deemed “Pure Gold!” by Clive Barnes, the show is rife with contagious humor, said Cooper, “but it’s also about survival, adaptability and hope, and amazingly relevant in this age of global warming.” Cooper said it’s a treat to be working in a diverse university setting: “Everybody I know is in show business, so when I get a PhD in Marine Biology who gives a great audition, it’s pretty special.” |
Mindy Cooper has choreographed Frank Wildhorn's Dracula: The Musical on Broadway, as well as Five Course Love Off-Broadway. Other work includes the National Tour of Titanic, the musical staging for Broadway's Wrong Mountain, The New Bozena at the Hudson Theater in Los Angeles, and Heart & Soul in St. Petersburg, Russia. As a performer, she has appeared on Broadway in Chicago (Original Revival), Titanic (Original Cast), Beauty And The Beast, Song & Dance, and Tenderloin (Encores!). Off-Broadway, she has worked extensively at Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival and in numerous regional theatre productions. She has danced as a member of Twyla Tharp Dance, The Feld Ballet, The Kansas City Ballet, and ThingsezIsee'm Dance/Theater.
Also on the bill at UC Davis this spring is fig. a: The Heart, written and directed by graduating MFA Candidate in Directing Emily Davis. Opening on May 11 at the Mondavi Center Studio Theatre, the original work examines the human heart from mythical, historical, metaphoric, scientific and mystical perspectives through the ages and through its secret chambers. The production will feature physical theatre techniques, shadow puppetry, evocative visual elements and an ensemble of thirteen performers. Previously, Emily Davis directed the sold-out, critically-acclaimed production of Macbeth at UC Davis in January 2006 and appeared as Innogen in Cymbeline last November. Davis is a founder and Artistic Director of New York City's Messenger Theatre Company for which she writes and directs. |
Emily Davis |
For tickets to all productions, call (866) 754-2787 (toll free). For more information, including prices and show times, visit the UC Davis Department of Theatre and Dance website. |
