Up to $13,000 possible for local schools through ticket sales
The Department of Theatre at Oklahoma State University will donate a portion of its ticket sales from the blockbuster musical “Man of La Mancha,” April 23-27, to Stillwater Public Schools to help offset some of the impact of an expected $1.8 million school budget shortfall.
“When I heard of the budget crisis, my first thought was, ‘What can we do to help?’” said OSU’s new Head of Theatre Andrew Kimbrough. “My two kids go to Sangre Ridge Elementary, plenty of our faculty’s kids have been through Stillwater schools, and some of our undergraduates are from Stillwater schools, too,”
Kimbrough proposed that a few dollars from each ticket sold go to the schools and took the idea to his faculty, and then to Dr. Ann Caine, superintendent of Stillwater Public Schools.
“I was immediately on board,” said Caine. “The story of the school budget has been in the paper and on the radio for the last month. It’s so encouraging to see OSU Theatre and the Stillwater community come out and meet the challenge in a positive way. I encourage everyone to buy a ticket and experience a memorable night at the theatre. The department’s productions are first rate.”
Dr. Marshall Baker, Stillwater Junior High principal, and Cathy Walker, Stillwater Middle School principal, have joined in to assist with ticket sales.
“We have excellent fine arts programming at the junior high and middle school, and we’d like to see them benefit from the extra resources,” added Caine.
“Our goal is to sell out all five shows, which will result in a $13,000 donation to the junior high and middle school fine arts programs,” said Kimbrough.
“Man of La Mancha,” written for stage by Dale Wasserman, lyrics by Joe Darion and music by Mitch Leigh, tells the story of the famous Don Quixote, but in a fresh and intriguing way. Based both on the book “Don Quixote” and the life of its colorful author Miguel Cervantes, “Man of La Mancha” is set in a dungeon during the Spanish Inquisition. Cervantes is a prisoner, his life is at stake, and he acts out Don Quixote’s story as a way to prove his innocence to his fellow prisoners.
The OSU production is directed by B. Peter Westerhoff, with sets designed by Heidi Hoffer and costumes by Judith Cronk. The OSU Orchestra will provide the live music.
Tickets for “Man of La Mancha” are $15 and may be purchased from a number of venues. Ticket vouchers are available at the junior high by calling (405) 533-6420 or at the middle school by calling (405) 533-6430. Tickets are also available through the OSU Department of Theatre by calling (405) 744-6094.
Performances are in the Vivia Locke Theatre of the Seretean Center for the Performing Arts, at the corner of Knoblock and Maple. The show runs Wednesday, April 23, through Saturday, April 26, at 7:30 pm with a matinee on Sunday, April 27, at 2:30 pm.
Parental note: While “Man of La Mancha” is a musical with a positive theme, it is set in a dungeon and has stage violence. The production may not be suitable for young children.