The University of Notre Dame’s Department of Film, Television, and Theatre (FTT) will present “Intimate Apparel” April 17-21 (Wednesday-Sunday) in the Decio Mainstage Theatre at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. This production is written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage and directed by FTT Director of Theatre Kevin Dreyer.
Set in lower Manhattan in 1905, “Intimate Apparel” tells the story of Esther, a 35-year-old black seamstress, who painstakingly crafts delicate undergarments for clientele ranging from young brides to wealthy matrons to ladies of the night. As Esther yearns to escape her life of drudgery and isolation, letters from a distant admirer offer the promise of love and a future. In her loneliness, she falls in love with the words on the page.
“In an era when people are increasingly turning to electronic communication devices in search of relationships,” said Dreyer, “Esther’s romance with a faraway suitor feels remarkably contemporary. It’s completely believable that she could fall in love with a man she’s never met because it happens today all of the time.
“And like today,” Dreyer continued, “The play explores some of the dangers inherent in these types of relationships, when people commit to each other without having met in person.”
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets for “Intimate Apparel” are $15 for the general public; $12 for seniors (65+), faculty and staff; and $7 for students. Tickets may be purchased online at performingarts.nd.edu, by phone at 574-631-2800 or in person at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center ticket office.
FTT seeks to inspire intellectual inquiry and nurture creativity. The FTT performance season is a direct outgrowth of the department’s academic program and an integral component of students’ artistic development.
Contact: Stacey Stewart, 574-631-0457, stewart.109@nd.edu