Faculty finesse

“The Big Knife” premieres this Thursday at the Shafer Street Playhouse’s Newdick Theatre. Unlike the soulful but thrifty student-directed plays put on by the Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre, this play marks the second time a faculty member has taken the director’s chair at the theatre.

Associate professor of theatre Tawnya Pettiford-Wates said she seeks to draw in a larger audience by having her name and experience attached to the play. In addition to the benefits for the audience, the exposure for the 12-member cast to Pettiford-Wates’ directing is another plus.

“I personally think that when you’re teaching them in the classroom it is really helpful to put that theory into practice on stage,” Pettiford-Wates said.
Third theatre year performance major and understudy Sara Schmatz said her time with Pettiford-Wates has been well spent and informative.

“Working with Dr. T has been a really cool experience,” Schmatz said. “Outside of the main stage, you only work with students in your classes, so it’s another chance for students who don’t get up on the main stage to work with the faculty.”

Written in 1955 by playwright Clifford Odets, “The Big Knife” centers around movie star Charles Castle and his struggle to survive career blackmail for the accidental vehicular manslaughter of a child, an incident only his studio knows about. Faced with signing a 14-year contract or possibly being ruined for his mistake, Castle struggles against Hollywood corruption and surviving as an artist.

“It’s got intrigue, sex, power, downfall, blackmail, all of that stuff,” Pettiford-Wates said.

According to Pettiford-Wates, the cast’s nine seniors promise to add a great deal of quality and experience to the show.

“This is kind of their last hurrah,” she said.

“The Big Knife,” premieres this Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Shafer Street Playhouse’s Newdick Theatre. The show continues Friday and Saturday nights with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Admission is free to the public.