Released:
5/7/04
The Marquette University Department of Performing
Arts will be entertaining theatre fans of all kinds this May when
it premiers the thought-provoking drama, The Book of Kells
. Set in two different time periods simultaneously, the play
explores the experiences of 8 th Century monks and modern-day
graduate students who are dealing with the fictional Book of Kells
each in their own way. The monks are in the process of writing
the actual book, which contains an eclectic mix of artifacts and
writings relating to their culture, while the students are given
an assignment to write about the book. Both groups are faced with
enormous adversity and conflict along the way.
The Book of Kells attempts to show how politics, science,
art and faith are all interrelated and a necessary part of society.
The monks, in writing their book, have to hold true to their faith
while enduring the political upheaval of their time. Kurt Hartwig,
playwright and director for The Book of Kells , hopes
that the audience gains a general understanding of how hard life
can be for everyone.
“We look at our own world today and realize how complicated life
is,” says Hartwig. “But we're often times not willing to grant
that complication to someone else.” Hartwig, a Milwaukee resident,
has directed for Next Act Theatre, Theatre X and the Boulevard.
The 90-minute play
features seven actors (four Marquette students, two Marquette
faculty members and one Marquette alum) and nine scenes. It runs
from May 27 –30 at Marquette 's Helfaer Theatre. For more information
or to buy tickets, please call the Helfaer Theatre Box Office
at (414) 288-7504.
The performances are part of the Heartland
Delta IV Conference, an annual gathering of Jesuit Universities
from around the country. The conference will take place at Marquette
from May 24-28.
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