Exciting news at HPU Theatre

Submitted by Janine Myers, Theatre Manager

Hawai‘i Pacific University, the Department of Arts, Humanities, and Languages and the Theatre Program are excited to be able to share the following news with you.

We aren’t going anywhere — yet! I know many of you have been wondering about the fate of the HPU Theatre Program (and about the Paul and Vi Loo Theatre). With the sale of the Hawaii Loa Campus, we will be transitioning classes and eventually performances downtown, as part of the master plan. HPU is in the early stages of identifying a space that will serve both the student body and the community. Until that transition takes place, we will still be holding classes and performances on the windward side, at the Paul and Vi Loo Theatre. We hope to see you there!

Eden-Lee Murray

We have a new addition to our Theatre Program faculty. Eden-Lee Murray has joined us in the role of Adjunct Professor and Director! She will be teaching all upper division acting, directing and performance classes, as well as directing our Mainstage productions.

Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Murray is a graduate of Harvard University and has an MFA in acting/directing. She is a professional actor/director/artist-educator, and since moving to O‘ahu in 1992, has had featured roles in Lost and Fantasy Island Additionally, she has directed or performed in every major venue on O‘ahu, earning 14 Po‘okela Awards.

For the past seven years, Murray has served as Education Director at the Hawaii Theatre Center. She founded three Ensembles at the Theatre: the Hawaii Theatre Young Actors Ensemble, the pre-professional training program in classical theatre; the Hawaii Theatre Junior Ensemble, an introductory acting class; and in 2013, the Hawaii Theatre Intermediate Ensemble. She will be bringing the Young Actors Ensemble — now to be know as the HPU Young Actors Ensemble — with her to our stage, and we’re looking forward to welcoming these students to campus.

Check out a video about Murray’s teaching, created by HPU alumnus Ethan Perry (BA ’13).

Our fall Mainstage production will be Deathtrap, a comedy-thriller by Ira Levin and directed by Eden-Lee Murray. One of the most successful whodunits of all time, it played for four years on Broadway, and it launched a West End run and a Hollywood movie. In Deathtrap, Levin has taken the basic components of thrillers and horror stories — murder, deceit, innocent dialogue with hidden sinister meanings, plot reversals, unexpected turns of events, etc. — and twisted and rearranged the pieces again and again. We hope this piques your interest!

Auditions will be held at the Paul and Vi Loo Theatre September 9-11, with performances November 11-20. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script; no prepared material is needed. Auditions are open to the wider theatre community, with priority given to current HPU students. Further audition information will be distributed separately.

Auditions:

Friday, Sept. 9 – 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 10 – 2 p.m.-5 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 11 – 2 p.m.-5 p.m.

Friday and Saturday are open auditions. Sunday is callbacks, but if you are only available on Sunday please come then!

Performances:

Friday, Nov. 11 – 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 12 – 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 13 – 4 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 18 – 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 19 – 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 20 – 4 p.m.