The Colorado State University Theatre presents "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui," written by Bertolt Brecht and directed by Walt Jones.
CSU Theatre received excellent scores from Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival representative Laura Cuetera for the recent production of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertolt Brecht, directed by Walt Jones. It is standard practice for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) - the national theatre program dedicated to the improvement of collegiate theatre in the United States - to send representatives to score and provide feedback on submitted productions.
In 2012, CSU Theatre’s original production of The Kafka Project, written by Walt Jones and the COMPANY, with music by Assistant Professor of Composition James David, was a KCACTF regional finalist after receiving excellent marks.
Officially called a 'response,' ratings given by Ms. Cuetera now qualify many CSU Theatre cast members and design students for KCACTF sponsored awards. Students will compete at the KCACTF Region 7 conference in Spring 2018; categories include Design and Technology Awards and the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions for monologues and two-person scenes.
The following written response for The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, performed on March 10, 2017, was submitted to the KCACTF Regional Chair by Laura Cuetera, theatre faculty member at the University of Colorado at Denver, College of Arts and Media:
- Irene Ryan Dept: Zack Rickert
- Irene Ryan Respondent: Bruce Gammonley
- Irene Ryan Participating: N/A but if alternate is needed: Katie Shriver
- Merit 1 (for Costume Design): Kyle Pibbs (Costumes), Shelby Vicino (Hair/make-up)
- Merit 2 (for Scenic Design): Shay Dite
- Merit 3 (for Lighting Design): Jorrey Calvo (Lighting), Cooper Adams (Projections)
- Merit 4 (for Sound Design): Lindsay Davis
- Merit 5 (for Ensemble): Performance and Design Ensemble
- Merit 6 (for Stage Management): Adam Oconnell and Run Crew
- Other: Walt Jones (Director) and Associate Directors: Heather Adams, Heather Salyer, and Maon Weiss
- Acting/Directing Rating: Excellent (10 pts)
- Design/Tech Rating: Excellent (10 pts)
A final component of Ms. Cuetera's written response was a concluding description that described The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui as an “extraordinary and richly detailed achievement of a provocative and enormously demanding text. Uncompromising in its focus on the historical context as dictated by the playwright, the production's committed authenticity to its truth offers a chilling reflection of times today and seems to have emerged as a ‘must see’ for entire campus community.”
Reflecting on the time spent preparing Arturo Ui, Professor Jones was extremely satisfied with the production. “The cast, creative team, and crew worked tirelessly throughout the rehearsal process to crack this text and bring an important work to the stage,” said Jones. “I’m pleased that they can be validated this way.”