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Inside Iowa State
Feb. 6, 1998

ISU Theatre's spring season opens this month

ISU Theatre opens its spring season later this month with six performances of Pentecost, written by David Edgar.

Pentecost, the 1995 Olivier Award-winner for best play, challenges its audiences to find out what the word means: is it a dated holiday that carries no meaning in today's society, or something more?

Set in an abandoned church on the eastern border of the new Europe, the play begins with the discovery of a long-hidden fresco that could revolutionize the history of Western art. The contest over the painting's authorship, ownership and meaning sparks religious and political controversy.

ISU Theatre's production of Pentecost is the play's non-professional premiere in this country.

Director Gregg Henry said, "This play gets beyond religious and racial issues and defines what we all need, freedom."

Joining Henry on the production is guest costume designer Catherine Norgren, head of design at the State University of New York-Buffalo. Chris Mannes, a senior in performing arts, lights this production of Pentecost. Keith Duster, ISU Theatre's resident technical supervisor, has designed the set, including the 10 x 6 foot fresco.

"This play will be a wonderful challenge to follow along as an audience member. The multiculturalism of the play itself comprises much of the complexity, since there are a great number of dialects and languages," Henry said.

"I believe that at play's end, the audience will understand what Pentecost means -- the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20, 21, 27 and 28, and at 2 p.m. Feb. 22 and March 1. Tickets are available at the Iowa State Center Ticket office or from TicketMaster, 233- 1888 in Ames.

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