SEASON 27 | JULY 2014

Tartuffe

By Moliere
Directed by Katherine Wilkinson
Presented by VORTEX Summer Youth Theatre
View photos from the production here.

What happens when hypocrisy is rewarded and lies become the language of power? When fallacy is the status quo and history keeps repeating itself, how do we change our world? In The VORTEX Summer Youth Theatre's fresh adaptation of Moliere’s classic comedy, a seemingly pious Tartuffe ingratiates himself to the wealthy Orgon, gaining access to his home and throwing his family into chaos. As Orgon falls for the ruse, Tartuffe’s deceit takes an unexpected turn. Using dance, chess, and biting comedy, the SYT ensemble transforms Tartuffe’s challenge into a fast-paced, unpredictable game. When truth is brought upon a society riddled with lies, who will come out on top?

 The ensemble has worked passionately and physically together all summer in the investigation of truth, power, piety, and self-revelation in our modern world.

CAST

The Youth Ensemble: Sam Winget, Cal Creedle, Makenna Mabon, Jules Shelby, Riley Simpson, Jack Butler, Ernesto Cruz, Ryan Alvarado, Noah Messer, Sky Blaw, Anya Qureshi, and Harley Brune.

PRODUCTION TEAM

Directed by Katherine Wilkinson. Choreography by Earl Kim. Scenic Design by Ann Marie Gordon. Lighting Design by Patrick Anthony. Costume Design by Stephanie Dunbar. Sound Design by Anthony Watkins II. Original Music Composed by Mobley.

ABOUT THE VORTEX’S SUMMER YOUTH THEATRE

Now in its 24th year, The VORTEX’s award-winning tuition-free program rehearses evenings and weekends in June and July. Rehearsals culminate in a full production presented to the public over two weekends. SYT provides students with experience in all aspects of theatre including acting, movement, technical theatre, design, and publicity.

For more than two decades, SYT has provided high quality theatre to Austin audiences. This project teams adult professionals with students to create high-calibre theatrical productions of world-class literature. The Austin Chronicle named SYT “Best Theatre Program that Treats Kids like Grownups.” Nominated for dozens of local awards, SYT has been recognized with B. Iden Payne Awards for Outstanding Production of a Play for Children for The Commedia of Errors, Outstanding Direction of a Play for Children for The Commedia of Errors, The Physicists, Moby Dick, and The Frogs, Outstanding Acting for The Physicists and Moby Dick, and Outstanding Sound Design for Machinal. Every year, students work with adult artists who are among the most celebrated theatre professionals in Austin.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Katherine Wilkinson (www.katherinewilkinson.com) is an Austin-based theatre director, producer, writer, and performer. Over the last decade, she has professionally trained, taught, directed, and performed in Australia, Greece, London, India, and all over the USA. Katherine has dedicated her professional career to the development of new and devised work with an emphasis on collaborative and devised performance. Katherine is the founder and producing artistic director of Gale Theatre Company. www.galetheatre.org

Summer Youth Theatre is funded and supported in part by VORTEX Repertory Company, a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.