Today@Sam Article
Coming Up This Month From CAM
Jan. 14, 2022
SHSU Media Contact: Wes Hamilton
By Laura Avery
"Creature"
Jan. 20-22, 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday Matinee
Showcase Theatre
Department of Theatre and Musical Theatre, Directed by Penny Hasekoester
“Creature,” Heidi Schreck’s absorbing play about character and faith, is loosely based on the life of Margery Kempe, brewery owner, wife, mother, aspiring saint and eventually writer. “Creature” details Margery’s quest for legitimacy as a mystic. The story begins shortly after the traumatic birth of the first of 14 children, when this medieval Englishwoman begins to see visions. Are these visions sent from God or the Devil?
One of the pleasures of the play is the way it links character to faith in a world where religion is the biggest game going. People in the 15th century seem obsessed with how best to know and love God. Margery herself claimed to have a deep relationship with God and strongly believed she received many visions of Jesus Christ. Margery’s visions of Jesus prompted her devotion to God. In an age when heresy and witchcraft can get you burned at the stake, Margery boldly chooses to live her life as a Saint and mystic. She declares herself a “creature” in her autobiography, a popular term in the 15th century that indicated one was “a created thing” that signified “humankind’s necessary relationship to God, the creator.”
Margery is most noted for her frequent emotional outbursts, specifically her uncontrollable public displays of weeping. Some historians suggest Margery suffered from postpartum psychosis. Due to a lack of knowledge about mental health issues in Middle Ages and the Church’s lack of belief in her visions, Margery was tried numerous times for heresy but was never charged. To this day, her autobiography remains one of the preeminent sources about life in the Middle Ages and the roles of women, religion and the church in everyday life.
Director Penny Hasekoester says she finds the journey of Margery Kempe intriguing.
“I don’t know if she was a saint, a mystic, a minion of the devil or a woman who was caught in the middle of horrific postpartum psychosis, but I am captured by her journey, her resilience, her passion, and her humor,” Hasekoester said. “I think Heidi Schrek created an engaging script that is both humorous and moving.”
Tickets can be purchased through the GPAC Box Office for $12 in advance and $15 on the day of the event. SHSU faculty and staff can get one free ticket when booking online.
The Showcase Theatre is located in the University Theatre Center at 1740 Bobby K. Marks Drive. SHSU students may redeem one free ticket by booking online at www.shsutickets.com. For ticket information, contact the Box Office at tickets@shsu.edu or 936-294-2339.
Full list of events from CAM coming soon.
Art Exhibition Spotlight:
The following events are free and require no ticket reservation. For gallery locations and viewing hours, please visit the respective links or reach out to the Department of Art at 936.294.4311.
University Gallery
62nd Annual Faculty Exhibition — Jan. 18 – Feb. 26
Satellite Gallery
Organ Meat Exhibition —Jan. 13 – Jan. 22
Student/Alumni Exhibition — Jan. 27 – Feb. 12
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