October 29, 2024
This November, Oakland University’s Department of Theatre will present two plays, Pipeline and The Thanksgiving Play, which both center around high school students confronting issues of race and privilege in society.
"On the eve of one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime, Pipeline and The Thanksgiving Play each explore in their individual ways, the subjects of class, privilege, race, and family," said David Gram, associate professor of theatre at OU. "Set against the backdrop of our American educational system, the Department's goal in programming these two pieces together was to offer audiences a unique experience that not only highlights the work of these two important contemporary playwrights, but showcases the artistic range of our students and faculty."
Pipeline, written by Detroit Playwright Dominique Morisseau and directed by OU Lecturer Lynch Travis, tells the story of Nya, an inner-city public high school teacher who is committed to her students but desperate to give her only son Omari opportunities they’ll never have. When a controversial incident at his upstate private school threatens to get him expelled, Nya must confront his rage and her own choices as a parent.
“Pipeline provides a great evening of reminding us that there are really no perfect answers for parents who are trying their best to raise their children,” Travis said.
Tickets for Pipeline are $20 for adults and $15 for students, and can be purchased online at etix.com.
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| "The Thanksgiving Play," directed by Oscar Quiroz, will run from Nov. 15 to Nov. 24. |
The Thanksgiving Play, directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre (Acting) Oscar Quiroz, good intentions collide with absurd assumptions in Larissa FastHorse’s wickedly funny satire as a troupe of terminally woke teaching artists scramble to create a pageant that somehow manages to celebrate both Turkey Day and Native American Heritage Month.
“Like the best comedic characters, they are blind to their own faults, which bring them to their demise for the enjoyment of the audience,” Quiroz said. “FastHorse delights us with her sharp wit and comedic mastery in this piece. Her comedy is like a sharp knife cutting some of the most ingrained American myths with absolute precision. A night of laughs and holiday merriment is assured.”
Tickets for The Thanksgiving Play are $20 for adults and $15 for students, and can be purchased online at etix.com.
Performance Schedule:
Pipeline
• Thursday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m.
• Friday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m.
The Thanksgiving Play
• Friday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 21 at 8 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 24 at 2 p. m.