Fourth Annual Nilsson Lecture Features Performance

March 30, 2009

AUSTIN, Texas — The fourth annual David O. Nilsson Lecture in Contemporary Drama takes on meta-theatre as noted stage actors tackle scenes from Tom Stoppard's playful play about plays, "The Real Thing."

"'The Real Thing' in Real Time: An Interactive Performance/Discussion of Tom Stoppard" will take place at 5:45 p.m. on April 1 at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center, and is hosted by the University of Texas Libraries and the Fine Arts Library.

British actors Eunice Roberts ("Inspector Morse," "Twelfth Night," "Tartuffe") and Matthew Radford ("Macbeth," "One for the Road," Austin Shakespeare) join Austin's David Stahl ("Richard III," "Gross Indecency," "A Macbeth") onstage, with commentary by Dr. James Loehlin, director of Shakespeare at Winedale, and Department of English faculty member Dr. Kurt Heinzelman.

Alternating performance and discussion will present a uniquely interactive evening of drama.

The David O. Nilsson Lecture was founded through the generosity of Dr. David O. Nilsson, a retired mathematics instructor at The University of Texas at Austin, scholar and Henrik Ibsen aficionado.

Past lectures have featured the Swedish novelist Lars Gustaffson (speaking on paradox in Ibsen's "The Wild Duck") and a panel of local playwrights, including internationally renowned Kirk Lynn and Keene Prize winner George Brant (discussing the state and fate of theater).

A reception precedes the event beginning at 5 p.m. Free and open to the public.

For more information, contact: Travis Willmann, University of Texas Libraries, 512 495 4644.