Karel Capek’s ground-breaking play “R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots),” directed by faculty member Thomas Riccio, will run at The University of Texas at Dallas Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 8-17, at 8:00 p.m. in the University Theatre.
The play, first produced in 1921, is widely credited with popularizing the word “robot.” The Czech word “robota” means “drudgery” or “servitude.” The robots – actually androids to modern audiences — were created to do work humans did not want to do and are generally exploited. The robots are given sentience and eventually rebel against their creators, destroying all the humans on Earth except one.
Capek’s drama questions the meaning of humanity, explores class stratification and offers poignant warnings against seemingly omnipotent corporations and the dangers of misusing technology.
Riccio will use the 1921 setting for the production and blend melodramatic and expressionistic styles. Jeff Stover, multiple Leon Rabin Award winner and UT Dallas staff member, will design the lighting for “R.U.R.” Jennifer Ables, who recently completed a season with the Oklahoma Shakespeare, will design costumes. Dale Seeds, an award-winning set designer from Ohio, will create a period set in expressionistic style. UT Dallas faculty member Frank Dufour will create the play’s sound design.
More information is available at http://ah.utdallas.edu/season0708/rur.htm.
Tickets for the show are $15 for general admission and free at the door to UT Dallas students holding valid Comet Cards. Tickets are available 2 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and at the door one hour before show time. For advance ticket purchases using Visa, MasterCard or Discover, please call 972-883-2552.
For information about the many musical, arts, theatre, dance and other performances and exhibitions held throughout the year at UT Dallas, please call 972-UTD-ARTS (972-883-2787) or e-mail utdarts@utdallas.edu. People with disabilities in need of special accommodations may call 972-883-2982, Texas Relay Operator: 1-800-RELAYVV.
About the School of Arts & Humanities
The School of Arts & Humanities at UT Dallas offers a dynamic and integrated approach to education that fosters the critical, creative and communicative skills necessary for success in the culturally diverse, technologically rich and change-intensive environment of the 21st century. For more information about the School of Arts & Humanities, please visit the Web site at http://ah.utdallas.edu.
About UT Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor, enrolls more than 14,500 students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The University offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UT Dallas, please visit the University’s Web site at www.utdallas.edu.
Contact Information: Kristi Barrus, UTD, (972) 883-2927, kristi.barrus@utdallas.edu
R.U.R., first produced in 1921, is widely credited with popularizing the word “robot.”