This weekend there will be an opportunity to see one of the University of Idaho Theatre Department’s previous performances, “This Random World”, again for one night only.
This performance was originally put on in October of 2019 and was directed by UI Professor of Performance David Lee- Painter and UI alumnus, Daniel L. Haley.
The cast and crew of “This Random World” have been selected to perform this play at the Region VII of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Film Festival Feb. 15 through 22. This one night only performance will serve as a fundraiser to help cover the cost of traveling to the festival in Fort Collins, Colorado.
There will be 1,100 students and faculty at the festival from nine states including Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Colorado and the northern parts of California and Nevada.
During the festival, there will be three performances showcased. “This Random World” will be performed on Feb. 19.
Lee-Painter said he is glad for the opportunity to show this play to the community again before they travel to the festival. Lee-Painter said the play is about connections and missed connections.
“The closest connections in this play are with people that they’re not related to, and truths are told to people that are not directly connected to them, and they all sort of mourn that,” Lee-Painter said. “Through the course of this play, many different characters have a moment of connection with someone, & it’s not what they expect.”
David Harlan | Courtesy
Lee-Painter said this opportunity to travel to the festival allows them to show what they value as a program at UI.
“The things that we value (like) truth, connection and community seemed to really come through in this production, so it’s a chance to sort of showcase that,” Lee- Painter said.
This opportunity will also allow them to showcase their work to prospective students and colleagues at institutions in the area.
Lee-Painter is excited to show this production to more people. The venue it was previously shown in held 80 seats, while the theater at the festival holds 350 seats.
“It’s one of my favorite experiences of my life and career. It was great, we had a wonderful time through the process,” Lee-Painter said referring to putting on the performance the first time.
The cast and crew will have to make adjustments to their original performance because of the larger size of the theater at the festival and some students from the original performance have graduated. But Lee-Painter said he is excited to figure out those changes.
The play features more than 30 UI students and community members.
The one night only showing of the play will be held on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Hartung Theater. Admission to the performance is by donation.
Tickets for the show can be reserved by calling (208) 885-6465 or by emailing [email protected] or at the door 60 minutes before curtain.
Nicole Hindberg can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @HindbergNicole