Master of Fine Arts students in the West Virginia University Division of Theatre and Dances Graduate Acting Company will present ShakespearesThe Winters Taleat the Metropolitan Theatre in downtown Morgantown, Jan. 26-30, as part of their spring Graduate Acting Tour of West Virginia.

Directed by theatre professor Jerry McGonigle, the play opens Wednesday, Jan. 26, with a special student preview, and runs through Sunday, Jan. 30.

The Jan. 27 and 28 performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and the Jan. 29 and 30 performances are matinees that begin at 2 p.m. There will also be a special matinee for local school students on Friday, Jan. 28, at 10 a.m.

In Shakespeares romantic world ofThe Winters Tale,nothing is as it seems, and everything is at the mercy of the stars. Leontes, the king of Sicilia, believes his faithful wife Hermione has committed adultery with his old friend Polixenes, the king of Bohemia. Fueled by jealousy, he throws his entire family and kingdom into chaos. Those he loves are driven to death and exile and Leontes is left to 16 years of painful repentance. Will he ever be without guilt? Is his family gone forever?

In the end, it is in the hearts of their children that peace and communion are found for the divided kings, demonstrating the life-long truth that love, forgiveness and innocence are the cure for distrust and tyranny.

According to McGonigle, who is coordinator of the acting program at WVU , the Graduate Acting Tour is a fairly recent addition to the Graduate Acting Program at WVU . Students in their third and final year of training rehearse, produce and tour a showcase of talent in West Virginia during the spring months.

The mission of the tour is to raise awareness of the arts throughout the state and to provide educational theater and artistic outreach to communities and high schools in West Virginia.

In addition to the state tour, the students also do a showcase in a major city such as New York or Chicago. This year, the students will perform a showcase in New York City in May.

The Graduate Acting Tour is designed to give the state an event that is both educational and entertaining,said Margaret McKowen, chair of the Division of Theatre and Dance at WVU .It is ourthank yougift to the citizens of Morgantown and all of West Virginia for their support of our educational and artistic endeavors.

Join us as we share this performance, the culmination of three years of training for these students who are in their final presentation as WVU Master of Fine Arts candidates.

MFA students in the cast ofThe Winters Taleare Neil Austin, Max Arnaud, Marc Friedman, Steven Gibbs, Nick Lopez, Andrew Lyons, Jennifer Moses, Carrie Witting and Setenay Yener.

Scene designer is theatre professor Joshua Frachiseur, who is also technical director of the play. Costumes are by Professor Linda Milian; lighting is by Professor Joshua Blackmer Williamson. Sound design is by student Paul Miller, and assistant scene designer is student Jamie Weddle.

The Jan. 29 matinee performance ofThe Winters Talewill be interpreted for the hearing impaired.

Tickets for the play are $10 for the general public and $5 for students, groups of ten or more and for the student matinee performance.

For tickets or more information about the upcoming statewide tour, call the WVU Division of Theatre and Dance at (304) 293-4841 ext. 3120.