RICHARDSON, Texas (Jan. 25, 2005) — The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) will present ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore, a play by John Ford and directed by Raphael Parry, artistic director for the Shakespeare Festival of Dallas, Feb. 11-13 and Feb. 18-20 in the University Theatre on campus. Friday and Saturday performances will start at 8 p.m., Sunday performances at 2:30 p.m.

Tis Pity She’s a Whore is perhaps the most popular and frequently performed play by Ford, whom many scholars consider the last major dramatist of the English Renaissance. The play is the tale of an incestuous love between Giovanni and his sister, Annabella, that ends in disaster and death. Set in 17th century Italy, the story takes place amidst a whirlwind of lust, vengeance and greed. Ford’s critique of contemporary culture, morality and interest in aberrant psychology figures prominently in ‘Tis Pity. Characters with powerful emotions, strong intellects and unbridled appetites populate Ford’s withering indictment of a world in which he says most men treat women as whores.

Image, Tis A Pity She's a Whore
‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore, the tale
of an incestuous love between Giovanni
and his sister Annabella, starts Feb 11.

As an actor and director, Parry has worked in the Dallas theatrical community for more than 20 years. He is co-founder and former artistic director of Undermain Theatre and has performed with many theatres in the area including the Dallas Theater Center, Kitchen Dog, and the Pocket Sandwich Theatre. He is in his fourth season as artistic director for the Shakespeare Festival of Dallas.

Tickets for the show are $15 for general admission and free to UTD students with a valid identification. UTD ticket office hours are from 2 to 5 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and at the door one hour prior to show time. To purchase tickets using Visa, MasterCard or Discover, please call 972-883-2972.

More information about the performance may be found at http://ah.utdallas.edu/season0405/tisapity.htm

For information about the many musical, arts, theatre, dance and other performances and exhibitions held throughout the year at UTD, please call 972-UTD-ARTS (972-883-2787), e-mail utdarts@utdallas.edu, or visit the School of Arts and Humanities’ Web site at http://ah.utdallas.edu/. Persons with disabilities needing special accommodations may call 972-883-2982, Texas Relay Operator: 1-800-RELAYVV.

About UTD

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 14,000 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 UTD, please visit the university’s web site at www.utdallas.edu.