Ithaca premiere of Michael Hollinger's Opus

In conjunction with the Ithaca premiere of Michael Hollinger's Opus, we are offering a number of exciting - and mostly free! - events. October 17 - November 11 Sex, Drugs, and Chamber Music! On the brink of a breakthrough concert at the White House, one of the players of the Lazara String Quartet has disappeared. A replacement must be found! Equal parts mystery, romance, and backstage drama, Opus runs October 17th to November 11th at the Kitchen Theatre Company in downtown Ithaca. Talkbacks After you see a play, do you like to talk about it? Want the real backstage story? The first 3 performances of Opus are followed by a free post-show talkback with the director, Rachel Lampert. Give your input and ask questions about all aspects of the production - October 17, 18, and 19 Opening Night - with music! Opening Night's performance is followed by a reception with food from Taste of Thai Express plus wine and desserts. Meet the cast, director, and designers, and enjoy music performed by a quartet of young musicians from Ithaca High School. October 20 at 8:00 pm Friday Night Wine Tasting Enjoy a free wine tasting from one of our local wineries before the show! Friday, October 26. Around the Kitchen Table Series Lights, Music, Action. Join Artistic Director Rachel Lampert, the actors from Opus and designers Tyler M. Perry and Kent Goetz and explore how light and sound are incorporated into the creation of a production. Lots of opportunities to ask questions and the chance for a hands-on experience. October 30 at 7:30 pm - $15 Thursday Night Lecture Series Enjoy a FREE expert lecture before the show! Thursday Nights at 6:30 PM October 25th - Jack Goncalo on "The Dark Side of Creativity" Jack Goncalo is an Assistant Professor in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell. He conducts research on group processes and performance, particularly group creativity and the quality of group decision making. Although most research in Organizational Behavior emphasizes the value of being a "team player" his research suggests that in order to spark creativity, organizations should emphasize individualistic norms and individual achievement. November 1 - Susan Waterbury on "Life as a Foursome" Susan Waterbury, violinist, serves as Associate Professor of Violin at the Ithaca College School of Music where she teaches violin and performs regularly with the Sheherazade Trio and the Ariadne String Quartet. From 1995-99, Waterbury was Associate Professor of Violin at the University of Memphis where she taught violin and performed with the Ceruti String Quartet. Previously, Waterbury was Artist-in-Residence and Co-Artistic Director for the Garth Newel Music Center in Hot Springs, VA where she performed chamber music concerts year-round. She has also held positions with the University of California, Riverside Campus, and Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and she was a founding member of the Cavani String Quartet for 11 years. November 8 - Nicholas DiEugenio on "Trust and Respect: The four way marriage of a professional string quartet" Nicholas DiEugenio is a violinist and Assistant Professor of Performance Studies at the Ithaca College School of Music. A prizewinner at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition as a founding member of both the Lorien Trio and Biava Quartet, DiEugenio has also been the first violinist of the iO Quartet in New York. Mr. DiEugenio has served as concertmaster of the National Repertory Orchestra, Cleveland Bach Consort, The Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, Yale Philharmonia, and the Mimesis Ensemble. Friday Night Talkbacks Music and a discussion with the cast after the show! October 26, November 2, November 9 Group Sales and Lecture/Show Packages Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more people. Save up to 54% for your group! Group sales include a post-show talk with members of the creative team. Lecture/Show packages: Artistic Director Rachel Lampert will speak to your organization before you see the production. These lectures can take place at your facility or at the theatre. For more information about group sales or lecture/show packages, call (607) 272-0403 or email rburttram@kitchentheatre.org.