North Star Summer Theatre is the new name of a variety of summer theatrical experiences at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Under the leadership of theatre and dance chair Ken Risch, the department has redesigned the program to include three offerings each summer, The Imagination Constellation, Summer Lights and Summer Shorts.

The Imagination Constellation will present the children�s classic, "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe," based on the "Narnia Chronicles" by C.S. Lewis. The play tells the story of love and courage in a highly inventive version created for Lincoln Center in New York City.

"The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" will be directed by Leon Contavesprie, a graduate student in theatre at the University of Southern Mississippi. Contavesprie has been an actor and producer in the New Orleans area theatre scene for the past ten years.

The play will be performed at 10 a.m., Monday through Friday, July 9 to 13, and Monday through Wednesday, July 16 to 18, in Jenkins Theatre of the Fine Arts Center. Admission is $5.

For adult theatergoers, Summer Lights will present a full-length comedy, Neil Simon�s "Brighton Beach Memoirs." Risch will direct this first play of Simon�s critically acclaimed autobiographical trilogy. Performances will be at 8 p.m. in Jenkins Theatre, Thursday through Saturday, July 19 to 21 and 26 to 28. Ticket prices are $10 for the general public, $9 for senior citizens and $6 for youth and UWSP students enrolled in summer school classes.

"These plays will be of high quality and appeal," Risch said. "Although comedy will be the general focus of the program, the plays will have thematic importance and depth of character as well as a high degree of craftsmanship."

The third component of the summer program, Summer Shorts, will continue a program that had a very successful first season last year under the leadership of Ellen Margolis, assistant professor of theatre and dance. An evening of 10-minute plays, this segment is designed to eventually provide a venue for original work written by UWSP students. Plays for this summer have been chosen from scripts submitted by playwrights from throughout the U.S. All of the short plays will be produced, directed and acted by members of the company with Margolis as mentor. Performances will be at 8 p.m., Wednesday, August 1 through Saturday, August 4, in the Studio Theatre of the Fine Arts Center. Tickets are $8.

Tickets may be purchased at the Arts and Athletics Ticket Office in Quandt Fieldhouse on Fourth Avenue in Stevens Point or by calling (715) 346-4100 or (800) 838-3378. Visa, MasterCard or Discover cards are accepted. Tickets also may be available at the door if the performances are not sold out in advance.

-30-

ky/vc/summer theatre 01