A creative and playful comedy described as "clown noir" will be staged in November by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's Department of Theatre and Dance.
"Clown Bar" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 8-9, and Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 14-16, in Jenkins Theatre in the Noel Fine Arts Center, 1800 Portage St., Stevens Point. A matinee show will be performed at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10, with a pre-show talk from director Tyler Marchant, professor of theatre and dance, at 1 p.m. in Room 221.
The show is recommended for audiences age 13 and older because of some language and violent situations.
Featuring singing, dancing, physical and word-play comedy mixed with a classic crime film style, "Clown Bar" is a "fun night in the theater with a different kind of play," said Marchant. "While it has a dramatic plot, it is surprisingly humorous."
The main character, Happy, is a police detective who used to be a clown. When his clown brother is murdered, he must return to the clown world to investigate. How will he solve the crime without being dragged back into the seedy underbelly of organized clown crime?
All the cast members except Happy are clowns, so there will be many different costume and makeup designs. Students have built their clown characters using movement and voice, Marchant said, adding: "It is challenging for students to take on this high style of film noir acting blended with various clowning techniques."
Audiences should get to the theater early to enjoy a 15-minute pre-show clown cabaret, he said.
Tickets are $26 for adults, $23 for seniors and $16 for age 17 and under at the UW-Stevens Point Information and Tickets Office in the Dreyfus University Center concourse, by calling 715-346-4100 or at http://tickets.uwsp.edu. Discounts are available for UW-Stevens Point students, faculty and staff.
Tickets are also available for the First Nighters package Friday, Nov. 8, which includes dinner before the performance (www.uwsp.edu/theatre-dance/Pages/First-Nighters.aspx).
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