Brock University’s Department of Dramatic Arts is set to launch its rendition of German playwright Bertolt Brecht and composer Kurt Weill’s renowned opera/musical, The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny.

The performances will be held in the Dramatic Arts Theatre at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts Nov. 13 – 21, 2015.

The title refers to the colour mahogany, Brecht’s reference to the German ‘Brown Shirts.’ The production is set in 1957 on the Gulf Coast, close to Pensacola, Florida. In parallels to the original productions, America is recovering from the McCarthy era, and the coast is threatened by an impending hurricane – in this case, Audrey.

An opera of Epic Theatre The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny follows the lives of its denizens as they are consumed by the power of money, which wins out against all other forces that motivate us: friendship, family, morality, philosophy.

“In the whole human race, there is no greater criminal than a man without money.” ~Brecht/Weill, The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny

Directed by guest artist Virginia Reh and designed by Associate Professor David Vivian, The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny showcases the talents of students in the Department of Dramatic Arts undergraduate program, including the performers: Keri Bishop, Helena Ciuciura, Nikka Collison, Caroline Coon, Ben Fallis, Andrew Godin, Rob Grady, Lena Hall, Mark Harrigan, Shanza Hashmi, Cole Larson, Adrian Marchesano, Sean McClelland, Jonah McGrath, Elizabeth Pereira, Julia Scaringi, Demetri Tsioros, and with special guest alumni David MacKenzie and Steve Reistetter.

“The original productions were in the early 1930s and very much in Brecht’s style of theatre for the people,” says Virginia Reh. “In recent years, Mahagonny has become popular with large opera companies. Our production aims to dial the piece back to something Brecht might actually recognize.”

The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny will run Nov. 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m.; Nov. 15 at 2 p.m.; and Nov. 20 at 11:30 a.m., and will be held in the Dramatic Arts Theatre, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, 15 Artists’ Common, St. Catharines.

Tickets are $18 adults; $15 students/seniors; $12 groups (10+); $5 eyeGo high school program, and are available through the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre Box Office Centre at 905.688.0722, online at http://firstontariopac.ca or via email: boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca

This production contains strong language and sexual content.