STEVE WOOD
Theatre UAB is presenting“The Wolves” — a play with an all-female cast that was a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for drama— at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center Nov. 13-16 and Nov. 20-23.
In this weekly online feature, we keep track of interesting people and events on campus.
A powerful play about young women that was a Pulitzer Prize finalist is being staged at UAB this week and next.
The Department of Music will soon present a one-act opera about the characters in a music shop.
UAB has launched an online resource to help students with reading difficulties.
And the Blazer Hatchery and Hackathon culminates with a pitch gala in November.
Know people, places and programs on the UAB campus that deserve a mention? Email jchambers@starnespublishing.com.
Believing every word
Theatre UAB is presenting “The Wolves” — a play with an all-female cast that was a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for drama— in the Odess Theatre at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center from Nov. 13-16 and Nov. 20-23.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. There will be a matinee Saturday, Nov. 23, at 2 p.m.
Written in 2016 by Sarah DeLappe, “The Wolves” is about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for nine American girls who are members of a girls’ soccer team that get together in the suburbs for their stretch circle.
“With girls’ engaging with fellow girls, the audience sees a different side of female youth, which we rarely see displayed within theater, getting to eavesdrop on uncensored, private and curious teenage conversation,” said Camilla Almond, a musical theater major who is the student director for the production, advised by Professor Karla Koskinen.
Stereotypes are broken throughout to remind audiences of the complexities of young women, Almond said.
The playwright presents “honest, raw and authentic dialogue,” and the portrays are such that “we truly believe their every word,” she said.
Tickets are $15, $6 for students, and $10 for UAB employees and senior citizens. Call 205-975-2787 or go to alysstephens.org.
For more about Theatre UAB, go to uab.edu/cas/theatre.
A fun opera
UAB Opera will stage “The Music Shop” — Richard Wargo’s one-act opera based on the Anton Chekhov story “Forgot” — in the Sirote Theatre at the Alys Stephens Center on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 15-16, at 7:30 p.m.
The 45-minute comedy, set in a music shop, is said to be funny and fast-paced.
Patrick Evans of the Department of Music directs a cast of UAB music and theater students, an alumni artist and a guest artist with chamber orchestra in this opera, which is suitable for all ages.
Tickets are $10, free for students. For tickets, call the ASC Box Office at 205-975-2787 or go to alysstephens.org.
Helping kids read
The UAB School of Education has launched an online resource — Electronic Portal for Assistance Learning — to help students with difficulties in literacy.
They can get help with reading comprehension, confidence, fluency, phonemic awareness and phonics and get connected to helpful resources.
“Literacy in children is a partnership between educators, parents and children,” said Jennifer Summerlin, assistant professor in the UAB School of Education. “This resource is designed to help facilitators determine difficulties and identify usable strategies to get the child’s literacy to the next level.”
Summerlin and Scott Snyder, associate dean for the School of Education, partnered to develop EPAL
To learn more about EPAL, click here.
Boosting entrepreneurs
The inaugural Blazer Hatchery and Hackathon — a two-month intensive experience for UAB students who are aspiring entrepreneurs — will culminate with a pitch gala at the UAB Alumni House on Monday, Nov. 18, from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Competing teams will present entrepreneurial solutions to real-world problems or opportunities in five-minute pitches at the gala.
An experienced panel of judges will select three winning teams, with cash prizes of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000.
The program is conducted by the UAB Collat School of Business.
The event is sponsored by the Alabama Power Foundation. For more information or to RSVP, click here.