Written and directed by graduate students, the play follows an aspiring starlet in 1932 Hollywood.
Texas Tech University's School of Theatre & Dance, housed within the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts, will present “Of Beauty Queens and Childhood Dreams” Sept. 24-30 at the Christine DeVitt Icehouse, located at 511 Ave. K. Curtain times for the production are 7:30 p.m. Monday – Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
The play by Texas Tech graduate student Michelle Benson is set in glitzy 1932 Hollywood and follows aspiring starlet Emma Jane Cobblestone, who garners a coveted Hollywood studio contract but soon discovers that Hollywood's glamorous façade is built on lies and carefully crafted personalities.
Director and graduate student Kevan Dunkelberg said he believes audiences will be able to find similarities between the play and the current #MeToo movement.
“We see countless examples in this play of behavior that would be considered, at the very least, offensive today,” Dunkelberg said. “The #MeToo movement is fueled in part by celebrity voices harnessing their power to speak out about sexual abuse and misogyny in Hollywood. Ultimately, I hope ‘Beauty Queens' shows us how far we've come, but at the same time reminds us how much more work we have to do.”
Tickets for “Of Beauty Queens and Childhood Dreams”are $15 for individuals and $5 for students with a valid student ID. A limited number of free student rush tickets are available for Texas Tech students. More information is available online or by calling (806) 742-3603.
About the School of Theatre & Dance
The School of Theatre & Dance fosters scholarship and creative activity while providing opportunities for students to work actively in both areas. Training and education are championed through specialized programs that encourage students to cross boundaries and prepare students for careers in both practice and pedagogy.
