Celebrating 75 years of University Theatre

& 20 years of University Dance Theatre

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DECEMBER 19, 2005
WHAT: Las Meninas
WHO: The Department of Theatre Arts & Dance at the University of Minnesota
WHEN: February 24-March 5, 2006
WHERE: Rarig Center, West Bank Arts Quarter, University of Minnesota
330 21st Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN
CONTACT: Erin Roberts, Marketing Associate, 612.625.4001, utheatre@umn.edu
TICKETS: U of M Arts Ticket Office, 612.624.2345; or www.theatre.umn.edu
GROUP SALES: 612.625.8878
University Theatre explores African American history just in time for Black History Month
December 19, Minneapolis: A historical preservation endeavor promotes a powerful theatrical
message in University Theatre's production of Las Meninas, a young work by the newly prominent
playwright Lynn Nottage. A completely true story, told through the voice of the mysterious and
legendary Black Nun of Moret, demonstrates the human experience across borders of language, country,
and culture.
Inspired by Nottage's research into the African presence in 17th century Europe, Las Meninas journeys
through the French Age of Splendor exploring issues of slavery, oppression, love, isolation and historical
erasure. At the center of the play is the illicit romance between Queen Marie-Therese, wife of Louis XIV,
and her African servant, Nabo, a dwarf from Dahomey. Las Meninas restages encounters of record and
imagines the spaces in between to reveal the story of a woman's search for love and a man's search for
freedom.
A creative interpretation
Tisch Jones, alumna of the Department of Theatre Arts & Dance, returns to the University of Minnesota
to direct Las Meninas. Jones' interpretation has had a strong influence on the shaping of this play
during its short life, due to her strong connections with the playwright, with whom she worked at Yale
Repertory Theatre. In 2004, Jones directed one other production of the script at Grinnell College in
Iowa.
One of the many challenges of directing Las Meninas is casting the part of Nabo, an African dwarf.
Jones tackles this by using a play-within-a-play approach, which allows for main characters to be acted
out by the nuns who are a part of the convent scene in the beginning of the play. Nabo can be played
by a nun in disguise, acting the part on his knees.
Although there are elements of interpretation that Jones will reproduce from her production at Grinnell,
she feels like she is starting with a new slate at the University of Minnesota, particularly in the fact that
she is working with an arena theatre space rather than a thrust, on which she directed in Iowa. Jones
has encouraged designers not to ask questions about previous design elements, wanting University of
Minnesota students to feel personal ownership of this production of the play.

theatre.umn.edu | 612.625.4001 | utheatre@umn.edu

Celebrating 75 years of University Theatre

& 20 years of University Dance Theatre

Three generations at the University of Minnesota

Jones is part of a three-generation educational tradition at the University of Minnesota. Her mother, Dr.
Geneva Southall, was a University scholar and professor emerita, Jones herself graduated in 1977 with a
BA in theatre, and her daughter is currently a student in the Department of Theatre Arts & Dance BFA
Actor Training program.
Jones is currently a professional director and a professor of theatre at the University of Iowa.
Her professional productions include Woza Albert; The Escape: or, a Leap to Freedom; Joe Turner's Come
and Gone; Klub Ka: The Blues Legend; Blues for an Alabama Sky' Gray Panthers; and most recently,
Rolling on the T.O.B.A. at Penumbra Theatre. She has directed for Unadillo Theatre in Vermont, Stony
Creek Puppet House in Connecticut, Onstage Atlanta, Iowa Summer Repertory Theatre, New Federal
Theater, Lincoln Center, The Apollo and La Mama in New York. Ms. Jones is also known for her
adaptation and direction of rarely staged work such as Lorraine Hansberry's Drinking Gourd. She was
one of the founders of the Twin Cities Black Theatre Alliance, was Director of Special Arts Programs for
the Connecticut State Board of Education, and served as assistant to Lloyd Richards, the Dean/Artistic
Director at Yale Repertory Theatre, where she was involved in the transfer of Fences and Joe Turner's
Come and Gone to Broadway. Ms. Jones cut her teeth as an actor, director and musician at the Old
Shoestring Theater, the Theatre of Involvement, the St. Paul Community Theater and the Minnesota
Centennial Showboat.
Purple Flower info
Related to the production of Las Meninas, the Department of Theatre Arts & Dance will collaborate with
the Department of African American & African Studies on a workshop called The Purple Flower. The
Purple Flower is a very short, rarely done play by Marita Bonner, which will be presented by Tisch Jones.
The Purple Flower workshop will take place on February 10, 2006 at the Rarig Center.
75 Spectacular Seasons of University Theatre
Las Meninas is part of an exciting season celebrating the 75th anniversary of University Theatre and the
20th anniversary of University Dance Theatre. Simply titled 75:20, the season features performances
that include the artistic efforts of Department alumni and guests, along with an exciting weekend of
memories and events centered around our final performance of the year. More information on the
75:20 season can be found at http://7520.umn.edu.
Las Meninas runs February 24 - March 5, 2006, in the Arena Theatre of the Rarig Center on the
University of Minnesota's West Bank campus. For ticket information, call the University Arts Ticket
Office at 612.624.2345. For group sales information, call 612.625.8878. For additional information,
feature ideas, or to set up interviews, contact Erin Roberts, Marketing Associate, at 612.625.4001, or
utheatre@umn.edu.

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theatre.umn.edu | 612.625.4001 | utheatre@umn.edu