NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Fourteen student actors will portray 50 characters in the Vanderbilt University Theatre production of Handing Down the Names, which debuts Friday, April 8.
Handing Down the Names was
written by Steven Dietz to pay homage to the immigrant experience.
Based in part on stories passed down in Dietz‘s family, it follows a
German family over seven generations as they seek to set down permanent
roots. The play spans two centuries and several continents.
“Dietz‘s play is a moving piece of episodic theatre,” said Jon Hallquist, director of Vanderbilt‘s production of Handing Down the Names, associate professor of theatre, and co-director of the Vanderbilt University Theatre.
“You are struck with admiration for our ancestor‘s struggles and
sacrifices; the freedoms we enjoy today are only because of their
tremendous courage and perseverance.”
Handing Down the Names will be
performed at 8 p.m. on April 8, 9, 10, 14, 15 and 16 at Neely
Auditorium at Vanderbilt. Admission is $7 for the general public, $4
for Vanderbilt graduate students, and free for undergraduates.
For reservations or ticket information, contact Lisa Barksdale at 615-322-2404, or email her at lisa.l.barksdale@vanderbilt.edu.
Neely Auditorium is located between Sarratt Student Center and Kirkland Hall on the Vanderbilt campus.
Media contact: Jim Patterson, (615) 322-NEWS
jim.patterson@vanderbilt.edu