EVENT: Theatre Program Production Shows 'The Triumph of Love'

An 18th century French farce exploring the nature of love and the conflict between passion and reason will be presented on stage at the University of Rochester.

First produced in 1732, The Triumph of Love showcases the lighthearted playfulness and plot complications that made the playwright Pierre Marivaux popular both in his day and in contemporary theater. The play will be presented by the International Theatre Program at the University starting at 8 p.m.Thursday, Oct. 16, in Todd Union on the River Campus. The play continues at 8 p.m. on Oct. 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, and 25, with a matinee scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19.

The plot of Triumph of Love revolves around the Princess Leonide and her machinations to win the heart of Agis. She learns that Agis is the rightful heir to the throne she occupies and has been raised in seclusion by a philosopher uncle and scientist aunt. Leonide's cross-dressing games to get close to Agis cause all three recluses to fall in love with her various identities.

Guest director Andrew Eggert will work from his own script translated and adapted from Marivaux's play. Staying true to the original with the setting, characters, and situations, he has updated the language, especially puns and jokes, for a contemporary audience.

A freelance stage director, Eggert has worked on productions at Chicago Opera Theater, the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York City. He has spent three summers as an assistant director at Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown.

His production of Triumph of Love at Rochester will be staged in the round, with audience members able to enjoy the performance close to the action. Set designer Orit Carroll, whose credits include work on the Broadway productions of Little Shop of Horrors and Nine, has set the action at the intersection of two garden paths at a pool of water. Kimberly Glennon, an OBIE Award winner who's the resident designer at the Classical Theatre of Harlem, is creating costumes that mix 18th-century styles with contemporary colors and patterns. Original music is by Michael Lewanski, a composer and teacher who studied at Yale University and the St. Petersburg Conservatory.

Tickets for Triumph of Love are $8 for the general public; $5 for University of Rochester undergraduate students; and $7 senior citizens and University staff. They can be reserved online at www.rochester.edu/College/ENG/theatre or by calling the box office at (585) 275-4088. For more information, please contact the International Theatre Program at (585) 275-4959.

Note to Editors: An electronic photo from the production of The Triumph of Love is available and can be e-mailed to you by contacting Helene Snihur at hsnihur@admin.rochester.edu or (585) 275-7800.