April 2 - 3 & 8 - 10 at 8pm
and April 4th at 2pm

Pay-What-You-Can Preview Thursday, April 1st at 8pm

The Saturday, April 3rd performance will be followed immediately by a special Talkback & Reception with various playwrights and the director

$18 General Admission; $15 Students/Seniors
available at Buskirk Chumley Theatre Box Office, by calling 812.323.3020 or online at buskirkchumley.org
11am - 6pm M - F
and 12 - 5pm Sat/Sun

80's Shorts

directed by Holly Holbrook

A totally rad celebration of the decade of Pac Man, Michael Jackson, the War on Drugs, Rubik's Cubes, New Wave music, Live Aid and Reaganomics featuring new short plays and, like, tons more fun!

The Bloomington Playwrights Project announces the production of 80's Shorts. The BPP has commissioned some of its favorite playwrights to pen six short plays taking place in the 1980s, the BPP's first decade. Get stoked for a fresh evening of totally radical time-traveling. Audience members will take a trip back to the era of Pac Man, the War on Drugs and Reaganomics among other 80s faves.

80's Shorts will be a multimedia spectacul-o-rama with video art by Julie Rooney that will take you back to the days of MTV and "Where's the Beef!" The audience will also get to participate in the 80s-loving fun with 1980s-themed Karaoke and bitchin' video games. Put on a shirt with shoulder pads or Ray Ban Wayfarers and enjoy the show. It'll be totally tubular!

Brief synopses of the six featured plays:

1981 by Steve Timm: Underneath the stars in a rural town, friends discuss living as warriors in the world of Reagan. With love and humor they can get through it all together.

Hands by Jim Poyser: For some, Hands Across America was a fun way to spread charity and goodwill. For others, it was a great opportunity to find a cheap date.

Cinematicus Americanus by Doug Bedwell: Imagine if the decade was just one big Hollywood film you could fast forward or rewind? Doug Bedwell creates a unique vision of the 1980s in this cinematic piece.

Marty and Doc Go to the Movies by Chris White: Marty and Doc from Back to the Future unwittingly disrupt the 80s Celluloid Space Time Continuum with hilarious results!

Sister Christian by Rachael Himsel: The Sound of Music meets the 80s Top 40. The hills are alive with the sounds of Axel Rose, the B52's and many more!

Welfare Queen by Eric R. Pfeffinger: How do you defeat a greedy soulless welfare queen? You enter her absurd fantasy world incognito.

When asked why she's excited about tackling a project about the 80s, director Holly Holbrook responded, "Uh...nuh'doy! I mean, that's my youth: MTV, Madonna, JFA, Metallica, The Breakfast Club, Buckaroo Bonzai, Night Flight. One of my favorite memories from the 80s is when my family went to see E.T. in the theatre. Spoiler alert here. When his heartlight flickered at just the moment you thought he was dead, my mother yelled out, ‘HE'S ALIVE!' That's what I want to do with this production: make the 80s come alive."

80's Shorts features a wicked ensemble cast including Jim Hettmer, Gabe Gloden, Daniel Petrie, Derrick Krober, Erin Garvey, Emily Goodson, Gail Bray & Emily Mohler.

Performances of 80's Shorts are April 2 - 3 & 8 - 10 at 8pm and April 4 at 2pm at the Bloomington Playwrights Project (107 W. 9th St.). Tickets are $18 General Admission and $15 Students/Seniors and are available at the BCT Box Office, located at the Buskirk Chumley Theater, 114 E Kirkwood Ave. Tickets can also be purchased online or over the phone at 812.323.3020. Box Office hours are 11am-6pm M-F, and 12-5pm Sat/Sun. Day of show tickets will be available at the Bloomington Playwrights Project beginning 45 minutes before showtime.

The BPP will also be hosting a special Talkback & Reception with various playwrights and the director immediately following the Saturday, April 3rd performance featuring light appetizers and beverages. The reception is free to ticket holders of that evening's performance.

With 80's Shorts, the BPP introduces its Pay-What-You-Can Preview performance on the first Thursday night, April 1st. From now on, every first Thursday performance of each Mainstage show will be a Pay-What-You-Can Preview and official opening nights will move to Friday nights. Combined with the theatre's $5 student rush rate that is offered for every performance, the Pay-What-You-Can Preview allows the BPP to be accessible to all income levels.