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3/29/2010
Cal Lutheran Students, UVTO Seniors Team Up to Explore "Generations"
THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF. (March 26, 2010) — "Generations," a humorous look at the similarities and differences between three generations, will take the stage next month at California Lutheran University's Black Box Studio.
The first theatrical collaboration between Cal Lutheran and University Village Thousand Oaks, "Generations" is an original workshop production written by CLU theatre arts professor Kenneth Gardner, CLU students and residents of University Village. The production, which incorporates actual experiences from the seniors' personal lives, is a dark comedy about three generations of a family coming to terms with reality.
University Village residents Gene and Joyce Smith play the roles of Alan and his deceased wife, June (June appears in flashbacks). In a dual role, Joyce also plays the next door neighbor to Alan. The other roles in the production are played by Cal Lutheran students.
"Generations is an accurate reflection of the issues and decisions that face older people in life," according to Gene Smith. "Many of us deal with the death of a spouse, trying to relate to teenage grandchildren, getting along with our adult children and planning the next stage of our lives. These are not easy topics to tackle, and we are very appreciative of the amount of time and sensitivity Ken has invested in this production."
Gardner is the mastermind behind the idea of a theatrical collaboration between Cal Lutheran and University Village. He began meeting with students and residents of the retirement community last fall during which the residents shared their life stories.
"Hearing their voices firsthand helped us develop the characters for the script," Gardner said. "Their stories served as some of the inspiration for the dramatic content of the play. We are very excited about this collaborative effort, and I know the students have enjoyed working with the seniors."
Opening night for the workshop production is on Thursday, April 15 at 8 p.m. The show continues through April 25. Tickets are $10 and admission is free for those with a Cal Lutheran identification card.
For more information, please call the CLU Theatre Arts Department at 805/493-3415 or go to www.callutheran.edu.
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