“Of Mice & Men" at the University of Dubuque -- November 6 through 9.
Thursday, November 6, through Sunday, November 9
University of Dubuque's Babka Theatre, 2000 University Avenue, Dubuque IA
The funny, moving, and profound stage version of one of literature's all-time classics enjoys a November 6 through 9 run at the University of Dubuque's Heritage Center when the Department of Fine and Performing Arts presents Of Mice & Men, John Steinbeck's adaptation of his revered 1937 novel included as one of Amazon's list of “The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written.”
In Of Mice & Men, two drifters, George and his friend Lennie, with dreams of living off the “fat of the land,” arrive at a ranch, hoping to work for enough money to buy their own place. Lennie is a man-child, a little boy in the body of a dangerously powerful man. His obsessions with things soft and cuddly have made George cautious about who the gentle giant, with his brute strength, associates with. George’s promise to let Lennie “tend to the rabbits” on their future homestead helps to keep Lennie calm, as the overgrown child needs constant reassurance. But the ranch owner’s son is a brutal bully with a promiscuous wife, and Lennie’s encounters with them lead to tragic results. Realizing they can’t run away anymore, George is faced with a moral question in John Steinbeck's classic tale: How should he deal with Lennie before the ranchers find him and take matters into their own hands?
Of Mice & Men will be directed by Joe Klinebriel, MFA, professor of theatre at UD. Steinbeck’s classic tale has always been one that personally captivated Klinebriel, and he states that he's excited about the prospect of sharing the story with audiences. “I believe both the students working on the production and the audiences coming to see the show will be stirred by the performances and the universal themes that have made this story revered for so long.
“Steinbeck created a narrative that remains relevant today because it explores such timeless themes as loneliness, the pursuit of dreams, and the struggle for human dignity. Steinbeck's portrayal of marginalized individuals – migrant workers, people with disabilities, women, and people of color – highlights issues of inequality and social injustice that still resonate in our modern society. Additionally, the emotional depth and moral complexity of the story continue to spark important conversations about compassion, power, and what it means to be human."
The character of George will be played by Chris Marriott, a senior theatre and theology double major from Dubuque, who says, "The constant undercurrent of this show is loneliness among companionship, an unfortunate byproduct of the model of individualistic consumerism that was being socially promoted at this time in our nation's history in the romanticized image of the ‘self-made man.’
“This piece offers resistance to that image in favor of the benefits of forging communities over that of strict self-sufficiency. In the end, George has to witness the collapse of his only dream in real time. A modest dream at that. I've certainly watched more than a few of my dreams being crushed in front of me. Revisiting and sitting with those feelings of helpless disappointment served as both inspiration for this role and provided a sense of catharsis for me. I think, unfortunately, that everyone can empathize with the heart-wrenching helplessness of asking for the bare minimum only to find out it's going to cost them the one thing that would make it meaningful in the first place.”
Meanwhile, Gabriel Green, a sophomore theatre major from Dubuque, will play the character of Lennie. It’s a role Green said holds many difficult challenges – most of which revolve around presenting Lennie’s disability accurately while also ensuring it is done respectfully. “I have prepared myself for the role by studying Lennie's kid-like nature and uncontrollable behavior in multiple adaptations of the story. I also help finalize my character decisions by making personal connections to aspects of Lennie's character.
“Every character desperately wants something in this show, yet, despite their efforts, none of them get it. Something holds them down that they cannot change or control. And it is even harder with Lennie because he does not fully understand. When the dream comes burning down, he does not even notice the fire. He ignores what holds him back and continues to dream. Because dreams are nice. Dreams are human. Dreams shape the world. But despite his great efforts to do good, he does not understand how to control himself. Which, in the process, destroys his and George’s dream, built upon a house of cards.”
Of Mice & Men will be performed in the Babka Theatre on the University of Dubuque's Heritage Center November 6 through 9, with performances Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sundau at 2 p.m. Admission is $5-10, and more information and tickets are available by calling (563)585-7469 and visiting Dbq.edu/heritagecenter.
