UK Theatre Chair Presents Play at NYC's La MaMa
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 3, 2014) — Nancy Jones, chair of the University of Kentucky Department of Theatre and Dance, recently presented a performance of "The Maids" at the invitation of New York City's La MaMa. The French play by Jean Genet was translated and directed by Jones and performed by a small cast of UK seniors on Aug. 25.
Genet's 1947 drama centers on two maids, Claire and Solange, who engage in ritualistic, sadomasochistic “games” while their employer, known only as Madame, is away. In this intimate three-person piece, with repetitive action and dialogue that ranges from ornate to crude, Genet delves into issues of class, power, sexuality and gendered performance.
Jones' cast featured theatre senior Erica Chappell, of Lexington; theatre and integrated strategic communication senior Peter LaPrade, of Marietta, Georgia; and theatre and integrated strategic communication senior Les Gibbs, of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The set was designed by Tony Hardin, associate professor of theatre set and lighting design at UK. Theatre and art history and visual studies sophomore Abby Schroering, of Louisville, Kentucky, served as stage manager for the production.
In addition to her duties as chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, Jones teaches performance, directs productions, and brings an international resume of theatre experience to the classroom at UK. "Moliere’s Women" (a play she wrote and directed) premiered in 2006 at the Mae West Festival in Seattle, Washington, and in Paris, France, July 2007.
Jones' work as a theatre director has been featured in New York before at the Lincoln Center Directors Lab, where she staged William Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream"; the New York International Fringe Festival; the American Living Room Festival at HERE; Immigrant’s Theatre Project; New York Performance Works; New Dramatists, the country’s premiere playwright development organization; and the Actors Theatre of Louisville 24-Hour Play Festival.
On UK's campus, Jones has developed many interdisciplinary projects including: "Tartuffe" and "Le Grand Guignol" (both cross-disciplinary collaborations with the UK Program of French and Francophone Studies); "El Mundo de los Suenos" (a project with the UK Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies Program); and "Affrilachia" (developed with UK's Department of Anthropology and African American and Africana Studies Program). Her passion for French theatre led to the development of a UK Education Abroad program held in Paris, France, each summer.
Jones' professional performance career includes equity tours, dance companies, television, commercials and film. She has received grants from the Kentucky Foundation for Women and the Kentucky Arts Council, is active in the Southeastern Theatre Conference, and serves on the board of the Kentucky Theatre Association.
Founded in 1961, La MaMa is dedicated to the artist and all aspects of the theatre. La MaMa has a worldwide reputation for supporting fearless and provocative theater while helping artists gain a foothold in New York. La MaMa is a global organization with creative partners and dedicated audiences around the world. In its 50 year history, La MaMa has been honored with more than 30 OBIE Awards, dozens of Drama Desk and Bessie Awards, and Villager Awards. As a landmark institution for artists and audiences alike, La MaMa presents cross-disciplinary work in theatre, dance, performance art and music that defies form and transcends boundaries of language, race and culture.
The UK Department of Theatre and Dance at UK College of Fine Arts has played an active role in the performance scene in Central Kentucky for more than 100 years. Students in the program get hands-on training and one-on-one mentorship from a renowned professional theatre faculty. The liberal arts focus of their bachelor's degree program is coupled with ongoing career counseling to ensure a successful transition from campus to professional life.
MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, 859-257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu