University of Dubuque's Department of Fine and Performing Arts to Present 'Assassins' - post-show discussion

The University of Dubuque's Department of Fine and Performing Arts will hold a post-show discussion and response following the 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 21, 2025, performance of Assassins, music and lyrics by lyricist-composer Stephen Sondheim and book by librettist John Weidman, in John and Alice Butler Hall, Heritage Center.

"Theater has the powerful and important potential to stir us, and Assassins does just that. It provides an important platform upon which society's ills can be examined and invites conversation about a variety of themes including disillusionment, alienation, counterculture, the healthy and unhealthy desire for belonging, misguided sacrifice in the name of political justice, media image and attention, and how the constant need for attention can negatively affect both," said Joe Klinebriel, MFA, professor of theatre at UD who will direct the musical. "Needless to say, Assassins is rich with thought-provoking topics, and it will be a great gift to have our special guests respond to the musical through the lens of their respective professional fields and help launch meaningful and reflective conversations."

Immediately after the performance, some UD faculty and special guests will join a few members of the cast and crew to engage in a 30-minute post-show discussion with the audience. Those joining the cast and crew onstage will be Shea Chapin, JD, head of the Department of Criminal Justice and assistant professor of criminal justice at UD; Brian Hallstoos, PhD, head of the Department of Philosophy, Politics, and History and associate professor of history at UD; and Lorie Murphy, MA, MBTI certified personal life coach and counselor at Body & Soul Wellness Center & Spa.