Glacity Theatre Collective to premiere new musical ‘House of Vinyl’

August 18, 2015 | Arts, Events, UToday, — Communication and the Arts

By Staff

The Glacity Theatre Collective will present an original musical theater piece, “House of Vinyl,” written and composed by company members Dr. Edmund B. Lingan, UT associate professor and chair of theatre and film, and Timothy Lake.

“House of Vinyl” was developed through Glacity’s Junkbox Theatre Initiative, which is focused on devising new works for the company.

Nolan Thomaswick and Victoria Zajac rehearsed for “House of Vinyl.”

“Junkbox describes Glacity Theatre Collective’s particular approach to devised or made-from-scratch theater,” Lingan, artistic director of the company, said. “Junkbox theater is created out of whatever materials the collaborative group of artists has lying around: old, unfinished portions of plays, ideas jotted on notebook paper and shoved in a drawer, whatever. The Junkbox process takes these various materials and converts them into a full and comprehensive work of theater with a fascinating story.”

Based on a story that Lingan has written and rewritten as a play, novel and screenplay, “House of Vinyl” focuses on Horton Stephen Wilder, who has an intense fear of open spaces, or agoraphobia. When Horton is forced out of his apartment and into the street because of a gas leak, he embarks on a strange and hallucinogenic journey involving lawyer-knights, psychic stingrays, a diaper fetishist, and yards and yards of vinyl. Will he ever make it back to his apartment and safety? Or will he be trapped in the “House of Vinyl” forever?

Company members featured in the work are Nolan Thomaswick as Horton, as well as Victoria Zajac, Jennifer Nagy-Lake, Emily Werner, Jeffery Albright, Phillipe Taylor, William Toth, John Toth, and Holly Monsos, UT associate dean of the College of Communication and the Arts.

Co-creators Lake and Lingan do appear onstage in wildly costumed bit roles, yet the two spend the duration of “House of Vinyl” playing in the pop-rock pit orchestra on guitar, bass, keys, and triggering custom-made electronica.

The production is directed by Lake, with Andrés Medina as stage manager. Costumes are designed by Lynnette Bates, lighting design is by Corey Sprinkles, and Rick Clever is the sound designer.

“House of Vinyl” will run two weekends, Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 20-22 and Aug. 27-29, at 8 p.m. in the Center for Performing Arts Center Theatre. The doors open 30 minutes prior to curtain.

Ticket prices are $15 at the door, or they can be purchased in advance online at http://glacity.tix.org. Student rush tickets for $10 are available at the door only on the night of the performance.

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