Also, go to the Media Center in 3160 Vilas Hall to get your copy of Madfilm, the newsletter of the Madison Film Forum, which brings films to Madison not normally seen in theaters. The Stage Theater was a center of cultural activity in Shakespeare s time, and whether or not you are an aspiring actor or actress, or a dedicated Communication Arts major, plays still hold a central place in modern society. Most plays make more sense performed than read so you can easily familiarize yourself with the classics by attending performances. Sometimes interesting new twists are put on old plots or characters to help a particular play remain in dialog with society. They play upon human emotion, make fun of it while pointing to its heroic moments, and remind the audience of the dangers of getting complacent with a certain set world view.
Plays are like the hall of mirrors at an amusement park.
As you enter, you see yourself distorted, thinner, fatter, twisted, and turned upside down. Although you laugh at the unreal image as it appears before you, perhaps by the time you leave the fun house you will have learned something about the malleability of reality. Plays from Shakespeare to Stoppard, while entertaining you, raise compelling questions about the meaning of human existence from love to war. If nothing else, think about how impressed your date would be, if instead of taking him or her to the regular dinner and a movie deal, you d offer to see a play. Theater Throughout the year, the university produces a number of classical pieces from Euripides to Shakespeare for your enjoyment.