According to UNH Theatre Director Bob Boles, “people will definitely be wanting to see this one.”

Need something to do this week? The Theatre department has you covered with their rendition of a dark comedy and murder/mystery.

The fall play is beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 in Dodds Theatre. The Pillowman, a play written by Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, tells the tale of a fiction writer who is interrogated about his gruesome short stories and their similarities to a number of bizarre child murders in the local town. The play has been a success around the world, receiving the 2004 Olivier Award for Best New Play, the 2004-2005 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Foreign Play, and two Tony Awards for production; additionally, it was nominated for the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Best New Play.
And now, it’s at UNH!

The Pillowman will run at 7pm on Wednesday, Nov. 18, Thursday, Nov. 19, Friday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 21. On Sunday, Nov. 22, it will start at 3pm. It stars Bobby Ceriello, Benjamin Hollies, A. Michael Forgette, Alyssa Biggs, Michael Crocker, Sara McGuire, Kyle Melnick, Katelyn Noyes, Samantha Prusski, Cindy Raymond, James Zap, and Shana Clore. Theatre director Bob Boles also stars in the play with a featured supporting role as the chief detective.

Set design is by Jessica Emerson, who won the Kennedy Center prize last year for her set design of UNH’s fall play, Two Rooms.

In addition to their performances, the Theatre Department is excited for future changes to the Theatre program. With the recent approval of a theatre major, Boles says he is excited for those classes to start. Dodds will be having its electrical system redone by 2012, and future plans include an advanced backstage area and reconstruction acoustics.

The theatre department has been an ever-growing project at the University of New Haven, and will be even stronger after hosting the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in January 2012.