On March 26 and 27, Keith Byron Kirk will visit Ithaca College. Kirk played the minister in the original off-Broadway production of A New Brain, the same William Finn musical that IC Theatre will present, beginning March 24.On March 26 and 27, Keith Byron Kirk will visit Ithaca College. Kirk played the minister in the original off-Broadway production of A New Brain, the same William Finn musical that IC Theatre will present, beginning March 24.
On Friday, March 27, Kirk will guest teach various classes within the Department of Theatre Arts. At 4:00 p.m., Kirk will hold an open forum in the Clark Theatre, Dillingham Center; the focus of this talk will be Kirk's life as a performer, writer, and, currently, graduate student. Members of the IC Department of Theatre Arts as well as other members of the Ithaca community are invited to attend.
Kirk will also lead a "talk back" following the 8:00 p.m. performance of A New Brain. During the talk back, which will take place in Clark Theatre, Kirk will reflect on performing with the original cast of this musical. Those who wish to attend the talk back but do not have tickets to the performance will be admitted to the theater after the conclusion of the show.
Kirk's career started with Chicago's Steppenwolf Company in The Grapes of Wrath. On Broadway, Kirk starred as Fredrick Douglas in the 1999 production of The Civil War. His off-Broadway credits include Elegies, Strike up the Band, Louisiana Purchase, and One Touch of Venus, in addition to A New Brain. He has also toured the U.S. in a production of Jason Robert Brown's Parade.
Kirk has also delved into the world of playwriting. His written works include Ft. Lonesome, Urban Trilogy, As Reaper in Summer Grain, and Knees of a Natural Man, as well as a number of one-act plays. Currently, he is working toward his Ph.D. in theater studies at Northwestern University. Kirk's visit to IC was made possible by a grant from the School of Humanities and Sciences' Educational Grant Initiative.
Directed by Susannah Berryman, A New Brain previews at Ithaca College Tuesday, March 24, at 8:00 p.m. Performances will be offered at 8:00 p.m. on March 24, 26-28, 31, and April 1-4, with matinee performances offered at 2:00 p.m. on March 28, 29, and April 4. All performances will be held in the Clark Theatre in Dillingham Center on the Ithaca College campus.
Ticket prices range from $4.50 to $10.00 and may be purchased in person at the Ithaca College ticket office in Dillingham Center or by calling 607-274-3224. Tickets may also be purchased at the Clinton House Ticket Center by calling 607-273-4497 or visiting www.ithacaevents.com.
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20090324151221913