*WVU students Chris Grecco and Marc Friedman portray Hermes and Odysseus in the cast of the children's play ���The Odyssey, �� which is part of a Division of Theatre and Dance repertory extravaganza, featuring three plays during April 6-24.

WVU students Chris Grecco and Marc Friedman portray Hermes and Odysseus in the cast of the children’s playThe Odyssey,which is part of a Division of Theatre and Dance repertory extravaganza, featuring three plays during April 6-24.

WVU students Jennifer Moses, Neal Austin and Matt Haught star in the play ���Boy Gets Girl, �� a thriller about a stalker.

WVU students Jennifer Moses, Neal Austin and Matt Haught star in the playBoy Gets Girl,a thriller about a stalker.

WVU Theatre students Brian Ruppenkamp and Nick Lopez portray Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso in the Steve Martin comedy ���Picasso at the Lapin Agile.��

WVU Theatre students Brian Ruppenkamp and Nick Lopez portray Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso in the Steve Martin comedyPicasso at the Lapin Agile.

West Virginia University’s Theatre season will end with a unique twist year, as the Division of Theatre and Dance presents a repertory extravaganza, featuring three plays during the month of April.

The productions include a children’s play calledThe Odyssey,a thriller titledBoy Gets Girl,and the Steve Martin comedyPicasso at the Lapin Agile.All productions will be held in the Gladys G. Davis Theatre at the Creative Arts Center.

The first show,The Odyssey,opens April 7 at 7:30 p.m. There will also be performances on April 20 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee on April 17 at 2 p.m. Based on Homer’s classic Greek poem, this story will delight young audiences with visions of monsters, sailors, underworld characters, and beautiful creatures. Directed by Joann Siegrist, head of the Children’s Theatre and Puppetry Program, the play will also feature puppet characters.

The ancient Greeks were the great mythmakers of Europe and gave us the amazing stories told about gods, heroes, demons and animals that we call Mythologia,Siegrist said.The strength of Greek mythology lies in a strong story plot and a set of characters readily understood. It is also rich in people willing to strike out on a new path in search for adventure, discovery or riches.

The second show,Boy Gets Girlopens April 6 at 7:30 p.m. and runs April 8, 17, 21 and 24. The April 24 production will be a 2 p.m. matinee. Written by Rebecca Gilman and directed by Theatre Professor Philip Beck, the play asksWhat is a stalker?and alsoWhat kind of life can a woman lead when she knows she is being followed?See what happens in this dramatic thriller when one woman, seemingly in control of her life, faces a situation where everything around her suddenly seems to be a threat.

This is not a play about being politically correct, but about the way we men have been trained to behave and think about the other half of the population,Beck said.

The third and final show is awild and crazycomedy written by Steve Martin ofSaturday Night Livefame. Directed by Theatre Professor Jay Malarcher, it opens April 15 at 7:30 p.m. and runs April 16, 22, and 24. There will be a matinee performance April 18 at 2 p.m.

The play features a fictional meeting between two geniuses: Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein. Martin sets the fun in a Paris bar before either man has become famous and the two debate art and science in a funny and insightful way. Watch for the surprisevisitor from the futurewho shows up to add his two cents!

Although Einstein and Picasso never met in real life, their attraction to the fourth dimension and their ability to see beyond appearances binds their work. Both were part of café society�€Einstein at the Café Bollwerk and Picasso at the Lapin Agile, a hotspot of Momartre society (the name meantnimble rabbit). The great works of these men emerged two years apart. Einstein released his Special Theory of Relativity in 1905 and Picasso completed Les Demoiselles D’Avignon in 1907.

AnUpfront&Backstagepre-show presentation will take place prior to the April 18 matinee performance ofPicasso at the Lapin Agile.This presentation, which begins at 12:30 p.m., will allow the audience to meet the people behind the scenes, tour backstage, and visit the shops where scenery, props, and costumes are built. The presentation will begin in the lobby of the Gladys Davis Theatre.

In addition, there will be a Post-Show Panel Discussion following the April 22 evening performance. During this discussion with the director, designers and company, the audience will have an opportunity to ask questions, make comments, and discuss the process of bringing the play to life.

The cast ofThe Odysseyincludes: Marc Friedman; Heather Dierickx; Anthony Edwards; Jamie Froemel; Brandon Gowen; Chris Greco; Robbie Griffith; Pascale Piquion; Claire Beaudreault; and Kara Upton.

The production staff includes scenery designer William Winsor, costume designer Troy Snyder, puppet/mask designer Jessica Greene, lighting designer Wendy Gathers and technical director Victor McQuiston.

The cast ofBoy Gets Girlincludes Jennifer Moses, Max Arnaud, Neil Austin, Matt Haught, Hayley Clark, Nicole Mazon and Andy Lyons. Scene design is by Travis Zimmerman and lighting design is by Erin Kuehl. Costume designer is Lesley Sorenson.

The cast list forPicasso at the Lapin Agileincludes: Neil Austin; Jonathan Pacetti; Carrie Witting; Brian Ruppenkamp; Bethany Sunseri; Matthew Kessler; Nick Lopez; Max Arnaud; Tammy Hoier; Heather Pratt; and John Frederick Harper, III .

Set design is by Tuesdee Long, lighting design is by Colin McKeen and costume designer is guest artist Kiersten E. Moore. Sound designer is Jamie Whoolery and dramaturg is Adrienne Sowers.

Tickets for the repertory shows are $11 for the general public and $9 for WVU faculty and staff, senior citizens, students and children.

For tickets or more information, call the Mountainlair or CAC Box Offices at (304) 293-SHOW. Schools interested in attending matinee productions should contact the Division of Theatre and Dance at (304) 293-4841 ext. 3120. Special ticket prices are available for groups of ten or more.