From a celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s music to a present-day play that takes an unflinching look at stalking and male/female relationships, a new season of stellar theatre and superb acting is gearing up at the University of Miami Jerry Herman Ring Theatre. This season welcomes four new productions at the Ring: “A Simple Song: A Leonard Bernstein Centennial Celebration”; “Boy Gets Girl”; “The School for Lies”; and “The Wild Party.”
 |
| UM Senior, Rachael Gregoire, stars in "Boy Gets Girl." |
"It is the job of any artistic director to make sure we don’t serve the same meal, so to speak, every time an audience member goes to the Ring, and I feel this season we have four very different meals,” said Michael Bush, artistic director of the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre. Bush, who has a personal relationship to both “Boy Gets Girl” and “The Wild Party,” as he worked professionally on the original New York productions, adds that every show for the Ring’s new season “was picked with the hope that they will encourage a dialogue regarding their relevance to our current society and times.”
“Our students are incredibly talented,” adds Bush. “Our B.F.A. students, who are the majority of students that perform at the Ring, are training in a professional conservatory program to go directly into the business, and many times that means Broadway. Our students are the next generation of great and here is your chance to see them now.”
For senior Rachael Gregoire, who plays the lead role in “Boy Gets Girl,” this season is the most memorable. “There are so many moments that I will miss, but I will have to say blasting music and dancing in the dressing room, when we’re doing our hair and makeup before the show, is my favorite memory,” she said. “It always gets us energized and brings the cast together.”
“In ‘Boy Gets Girl,’ I play the lead role, Theresa,” said Gregoire. “She is a character most women and men can relate to in society today. I have encountered many experiences of stalking by just walking on the street or even in the work field. It does take away a part of your sense of freedom and keeps you on alert at all times, but the best thing to do is to go to someone for help and let them help take care of the situation.”
For tickets to the Ring Theatre, visit http://www.as.miami.edu/ringtheatre/ or call 305-284-3355. The Ring Theatre Box Office is open Wednesday-Friday, 12pm – 5pm, and is located on the Coral Gables Campus at 1312 Miller Drive.
 |
A Simple Song: A Leonard Bernstein Centennial Celebration. (Conceived by Michael Bush and N. David Williams)
September 27-October. 6, 2018.
2018 marks the 100th birthday of one of America’s cultural icons, American composer, conductor, author, and pianist Leonard Bernstein. With special permission from the Bernstein estate, the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre presents a retrospective of his contributions to this most American of theatrical art forms. Join us to say “Happy Birthday Lenny” in this unique and exclusive evening of Bernstein at his best.
Boy Gets Girl. By Rebecca Gillman.
November 8-17, 2018.
It all begins with a blind date. Theresa, an accomplished reporter, is set up with Tony by a mutual acquaintance. The dialogue snaps like a conventional romantic comedy. Then the phone calls start. And the flowers. And the creeping sensation that Tony just won’t take “no” for an answer. Gillman’s play is the study of an innocent encounter that leads to terrifying results.
 |
The School for Lies. By David Ives.
February 21-March 2, 2019.
In his hilarious adaption of Molière’s “The Misanthrope,” David Ives, one of America’s most popular contemporary playwrights, dives headfirst into 17th century France, bringing with him his own 21st century adept comic vernacular. It’s a story about French society encapsulated by gossip, glamour, hypocrisy, and scandal.
 |
The Wild Party. Book, music, and lyrics by Andrew Lippa.
(Funded by the Arthur F. & Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation)
April 18-27, 2019.
Transport yourself to the roaring 1920s with this exhilarating musical based on the Joseph Moncure poem of the same name. With a tuneful and pulsating score by Andrew Lippa, this musical follows Vaudeville performers Queenie and Burrs as they navigate their tumultuous relationship filled with jealousy, passion, and betrayal—all while hosting a party that makes for one wile dance-filled night.
September 19, 2018
