USI Continues 2016-2017 Season with "Mr. Burns, a post electric play"

University of Southern Indiana Theatre will continue it's 2016-2017 season with Mr. Burns, a post electric play by Anne Washburn. The play, directed by Eric Altheide, assistant professor of acting, runs November 17-20 in the USI Performance Center located next to University Center East on the USI campus.

Mr. Burns, a post electric play is the immersive story of how we hold on to popular culture in times of crisis and how it might eventually form the basis of our collective history. In the not so distant future, a new disease spreads quickly across the country, taking numerous lives and crippling much of the United States' infrastructure, including the entire electric grid. The story focuses on one group of survivors who find each other and sustain themselves by staging The Simpsons television shows to distract their fellow citizens from the dangers around them with the memory of what once was. However, in the end, the group's need to express their common experience transforms everyone's favorite cartoon family into the heroes of a new generation of survivors. Funny and thought-provoking, Mr. Burns is a unique view on storytelling and the genesis of artistic expression.

Altheide will be joined by a design team including USI faculty members Shan Jensen as costumer designer and Paul Weimer as scenic designer; USI staff member Kevin Gray as sound designer; and USI students Nick Smith as lighting designer and Ashleigh Dulik as stage manager. The cast includes USI students Cameron Ward, Craig Belwood, Trevor Purkiser, Hope Williams, Keely McGill, Maggie Browne, Aimee Grace, Morgan Book, Jason Merslich, Katie Jones, Lauren Wojcuich, Jada Hampton, and Parker Hart.

Tickets are $7 for USI students, $12 for adults, $10 for USI employees, seniors (60+) and non-USI students. Shows start at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinee. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit USI.edu/theatre or call the box office at 812-465-1668. Follow on Facebook at USITheatre and on Twitter @TheatreUSI for updates and photos.

The 2016-2017 season will continue with Crumbs from the Table of Joy by Lynn Nottage running February 16-19, 2017 and Little Women: The Broadway Musical with book by Allan Knee, music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott, as the co-production of New Harmony Theatre and USI Theatre running April 20-23, 2017. Tickets for all upcoming productions are on sale now.