For Immediate Release

 

Contact:         Maryjane Briant
                        News and Media Relations Director
                        Galloway, N.J. 08205
                        Maryjane.Briant@stockton.edu
                        (609) 652-4593
                        stockton.edu/media

Galloway, N.J. - Stockton University’s Theatre Department opens its fall semester with a student-directed production of political satire and slapstick comedy, “The Accidental Death of an Anarchist,” by the Nobel Prize-winning playwright Dario Fo.

The Italian literary artist was best known for vocalizing his political beliefs and his plays are the most-performed around the world. Fo, who died in 2016, wrote the play in 1970.

The show has been adapted to present-day America and follows the shift of four New York Police Department officers involved in an investigation of the suspicious death of a man taken in for questioning. Things go awry when an important message gets intercepted by a certifiable madman who strings the aforementioned officers along on a series of mental and physical challenges, exposing holes in their alibis and highlighting their unjust abuse of power. The plot thickens when a well-versed reporter enters the scene, determined to get a good story.

“The Accidental Death of an Anarchist” plays in the Experimental Theater of Stockton University from Nov. 9 - 13 at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $10 for General Admission and $8 for students and seniors with I/D; ticket orders can be made online at www.stockton.edu/pac or by calling the Box Office at (609)-652-9000.

Director and senior student Madelaine Welch said, “The message of the show is very serious. But I believe that by making light of certain situations, such as police brutality, we inadvertently bring [said] situations into the light.” With a physical directing technique, Welch whips her actors into shape. Performed with a cast of six, “The Accidental Death of an Anarchist” uses physical comedy, witty banter and larger-than-life characters to bring awareness to some of the nation’s biggest, darkest and most deeply rooted problems.   

“What [I] want the audience to take away from seeing this show is that we cannot tolerate the government’s abuse of power, that the media cannot always be trusted, and that all lives cannot matter until black lives matter,” Welch said. “We ask you to join us at Stockton University for a few hours of stimulation. The show will make you laugh and shake your head in astonishment. You're guaranteed to learn a thing or two. And perhaps you'll share those lessons with your neighbors.”

The Stockton Box Office is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. and a half-hour before each performance. The Stockton Performing Arts Center is located on the campus of Stockton University, 101 Vera King Farris Drive off Jimmie Leeds Road in Galloway, N.J. For patrons with special needs, the Performing Arts Center offers wheelchair-accessible seating, listening- assistive devices, and large-type programs. Please identify any needs you may have when making a reservation.