The Denison theatre department will open its 74th subscription series with "Top Girls" by British playwright Caryl Churchill at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday (Oct. 1 and 2) and Tuesday through Saturday (Oct. 5 to 9) in Ace Morgan Theatre (211 West College St.). Admission is $8 general admission, $5 for senior citizens and $4 for students. Season subscriptions are also available. To reserve tickets or to request a season brochure call 740-587-6527.

"Top Girls," winner of the Obie Award for Playwriting in 1982, remains a contemporary classic by a playwright whose latest play, "A Number," premieres at the New York Theatre Workshop in November. Denison's production of "Top Girls" is directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre Robert Gander. Two Vail Artists-in-Residence also are working on the production. Mark Sorensen serves as costume designer and Mary Sykes is serving as lighting designer. Associate Professor of Theatre Peter Pauze is the scenic designer and Andrew Johns is the technical director. Brooke Aldrich '05 of Bexley is undertaking the role of stage manager.

The story poses the question "Can a woman have it all?" as it addresses the connection between feminism and capitalism. It opens with a fantastical banquet hosted by Marlene, who has just been promoted to manager of the Top Girls Employment Agency. Her guests at this party are mythical and historical "top girls" who discuss their successes, but also the sacrifices that they made for these achievements. A majority of the cast members will play two different characters, many of whom will be challenged by the use of foreign dialects. Because of language used in the play, "Top Girls" is recommended for mature audiences only.

Cast members include seniors Alma Fellows (Little Valley, N.Y.), Elena Perantoni (Canfield), Maggie Reid (Coral Gables, Fla.) junior Danielle Lebens (Chesterfield, Mo.) and sophomores Kerri Grinnage (Midlothian, Va.), Paige Sawin (Malvern, Pa.) and Shikha Shah (Mumbai, India).

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

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Barbara Stambaugh

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Director, Media Relations

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stambaughb@denison.edu

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(740) 587-8575