“THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG”
Aug. 25-27 — Ulrey Performing Arts Center
Welcome to opening night of the Hardly Drama Society’s newest production, The Murder at Haversham Manor, where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous. This stylish whodunit has everything you never wanted in a show—an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines). Nevertheless, these accident-prone thespians will battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call! It’s part Monty Python, part Sherlock Holmes, and we are here to share it with you!
HOMECOMING MUSICAL: “CINDERELLA”
Oct. 28-29 — Benson Auditorium
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella is the Broadway version and update of the classic romantic fairy tale. Our Cinderella tale features a brand-new book from librettist Douglas Carter Beane, and has added several new characters and expanded the world of the original. But at its core, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella remains the heartfelt tale of the girl from the cinders who connects with her prince. Come join us for a little magic on our stage this Homecoming weekend, Oct. 28-29, 2022, with Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella at Harding University.
“THE RIVALS”
Dec. 8-10 — Ulrey Performing Arts Center
Rivalry, chivalry, cowardice, secrecy, love, romance and shameless social climbing... the mad, bad and funny world of the excessive past still connects with our world today. The Rivals features the romantic misadventures of Lydia Languish, her destitute lover Ensign Beverly, and the immortal Mrs. Malaprop, whose habit of choosing the perfectly wrong word has made her a household name. Add to this melting pot an overpowering father, a scheming maid, a country bumpkin and a strutting Irishman and you have all the ingredients for a delightful comic romp!
“THE CRUCIBLE”
Feb. 21-25 — Ulrey Performing Arts Center
During the tense era of McCarthyism, celebrated playwright Arthur Miller was inspired to write a drama reflecting the dangers of mass cultural and political hysteria. The Crucible is a gripping dramatization of the Salem witch trials. Accusations of witchcraft following a game played by the daughters of a Massachusetts village spiral out of control and many must choose between their reputations and their integrity. It is a timeless parable of morality, a scorching indictment of intolerance, and a central work in the canon of American drama.
PIED PIPERS
The Pied Pipers of Harding, an improvisational children’s theatre troupe, will perform on campus Oct. 29, 2022, and April 8, 2023. The Pipers tour extensively nationally and internationally, performing for over 16,000 children every year.
SO MUCH MORE…
Campus Players, a student organization for those interested in theatre will present various productions throughout the year. Many of our theatre courses culminate in performance projects each year and many are open to the public. In particular, Play Directing II students present an annual one act festival each April. Children’s Theatre students will present a touring children’s show in December. There is always something happening on stage at Harding.
SPRING SING 2023
April 6-8, Benson Auditorium
Stand Out! is the theme for Spring Sing 2023. Spring Sing will step up and step out showcasing the tremendous talent, art, and heart of our student body! Performance dates for the extravaganza are April 6-8 and tickets will be available on hardingtickets.com in late February or early March 2023. The annual musical revue program features over 1,000 students, comic parodies, amazing music, and incredible spectacle, bringing over 11,000 people to Searcy each year to see the production.
