By News and Internal Communications

By Santana Peralez

EDINBURG, TEXAS – It’s sort of like “a rabbi and a priest walk into a bar” joke. A brilliant German physicist on the verge of changing the world and a talented Spanish artist walk into a Parisian bar in 1904. What happens next?

To help you find out, the UTRGV Department of Theatre opens its spring 2023 theatre season with “Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” a comedy written by actor and comedian Steve Martin.

“Picasso” is set at the Lapin Agile, a bar in the Montmartre district of Paris, and follows Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso as they debate their work, their creativity, and the very idea of genius, all while surrounded by a cast of colorful characters.

First curtain is 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 3, and the play runs through Sunday, March 5, at UTRGV’s Albert L. Jeffers Theatre on the Edinburg Campus.

 

PERFORMANCE TIMES

• Friday, March 3, 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, March 4, 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, March 5, 2 p.m.

The production is directed by Dr. Brian Cheslik, assistant professor in the UTRGV Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

“This show has been on my bucket list of shows that I have always wanted to direct,” Cheslik said. “I fell in love with it the first time I read it, and every time I re-read it, I fall more deeply in love with it.”

Cheslik said the play is witty and fast-paced, an absurdist comedy that blends funny one-liners with thought-provoking questions and an odd group of characters. 

This production will be Cheslik’s third show in a back-to-back series that started in November 2022. He is the artistic director for Deaf Austin Theatre and co-directed two Deaf/hearing productions in Austin. One was the musical “The Last Five Years,” which was co-produced with Ground Floor Theatre  in Austin, and the other was Rodgers & Hammerstein's “Cinderella,” co-produced with the ZACH Theatre in Austin.

“This is my first time directing for a university theatre, and I have been blown away by the talent both on stage and off stage with the set, costumes, props and stage management,” he said.

ROUND OF APPLAUSE

He also wanted to give a special mention to his stage manager, Ivy Vidal, a junior theatre design major at UTRGV.

Vidal has worked on several main stage productions for the theater department, including “Tomás and The Library Lady,” “The Weird,” “RED,” “Coriolanus,” “Frankenstein” and “Moliere,” as both cast and crew.

Vidal said the actors have been “amazing,” and came into rehearsals completely off-book – meaning they arrived with their lines fully memorized.

“This show has flown by and built itself together in such an incredibly short amount of time,” she said. “All of the actors have been so dedicated to the production and are constantly pushing each other to be better performers.”

She said she is grateful for the hard work and dedication of her team members, like the props designer.  

“I'd love to give a shout-out to Mariclara Rivera Marrero, our props designer, who has spent so much time and effort making these insanely beautiful and realistic props,” Vidal said.  “I am genuinely proud of her and the hard work she continues to put into UTRGV productions.”

Cheslik said he believes the audience can expect a highly entertaining evening of comedic theatre.

“What do you have to lose by coming to the show?” Cheslik said. “The answer is nothing, so come on out and enjoy an evening of laughter!”

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the UTRGV Theatre Box Office or call 956-665-3581. The box office will open one hour prior to showtime.