News Release
UDM’s Theatre Company presents "Speech and Debate"
Sex, secrets, Internet blogs and videos comprise a snappy Speech and Debate! Questioning to find the truth in the midst of sex, secrets, Internet blogs and videos is at the core of Stephen Karam’s Speech and Debate, which opens at the UDM’s Theatre Company on January 30th and runs for three weekends, through February 15th. Edgy theatre comedy and technology collide head-on in this funny and touching tale of three teens’ quest for fame and free speech.
Teenage misfits Solomon (Steven Pole), Diwata (Anne Di Iorio) and Howie (Joel Frazee) have never met, but come together through podcasts and Internet blogs to discuss their teacher’s shocking online secret. They decide to start their high school’s first speech and debate club to discuss this issue and while doing so discover and explore their own issues of body image and sexual identity. The speech and debate club helps them realize their chance to be heard at last by the school and the outside world. 2008’s Off-Broadway sensation Speech and Debate is a quick-witted, bold and timely comedy which shows that three voices are stronger than one.
Speech and Debate playwright Stephen Karam led an unusual childhood while growing up Scranton, Pennsylvania. While others played, he was busy writing one-act plays and mailing them off to publishers and contests listed in the Dramatist’s Sourcebook. While at Brown University, Karam developed his writing and character development skills, focusing on the experiences of youth as they blossom into adults. Karam was nominated for the 2006 Helen Hayes Award for co-writing Columbinus, which ran off-Broadway in 2006. Karam’s writing has also appeared in the Advocate and online at McSweeney’s.
Award-winning actor and director Yolanda Fleischer will be directing Speech and Debate. Fleischer, professor and director, has been with the University of Detroit Mercy family since 1986. She holds a B.S. of Education degree from Central Michigan University and M.A. and M.F.A. degrees from Wayne State University. Fleischer’s most recent UDM directing work includes “Lobby Hero,” “The Moonlight Room” and “Children’s Hour.” Fleischer likes to direct socially conscious theatre that focuses on the relationship of the art of theatre, social justice and women’s issues. In the professional community, Fleischer has directed “The Drawer Boy” at the Detroit Repertory Theatre and “Door to Door” at the Jewish Ensemble Theatre. Fleischer continues to enlighten her students in class while exploring onstage her thoughts on humanity.
Speech and Debate opens on January 30 and runs for three weekends, through February 15. UDM’s Theatre Company’s performances are held Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at the Marygrove Theatre on the campus of Marygrove College, 8425 W. McNichols Rd.
The Theatre Company will add special talks to Speech and Debate to further discussion on the topics involved with the show. A pre-talk with the Director and special panel will occur at 7:10-7:30 p.m. on Saturday January 30, 2009. This pre-talk will discuss the body image issues that will be raised in the show. A talkback session will be held on Sunday February 8, 2009 directly following the performance with a panel of experts. The talkback session will discuss sexual identity issues raised in the show.
General admission is $15. Admission for senior citizens, UDM and Marygrove faculty, staff, and alumni is $13. Student admission is $9; UDM and Marygrove students pay only $5 with appropriate ID. The Theatre Company’s box office is located in Reno Hall on the campus of the University of Detroit Mercy. Hours of operation are 12:00 p.m. through 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. For tickets, call the theatre box office at 313-993-3270. For more information visit us online at theatre.udmercy.edu.
UDM’s Theatre Company Official Press Release for "Speech and Debate" (.pdf)
Release date: January 28, 2009
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