Spanish Drama "Yerma" Opens Dec. 3 in Westhoff Theatre

Federico Garcia Lorca's "Yerma," the story of a childless woman whose obsessive desire to become a mother drives her to commit a horrible crime, will be presented by the School of Theatre at Illinois State University from Dec. 3 to 6 in Westhoff Theatre.  Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. each night, and there will be a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Dec. 6.

Tickets are $10 for the general public and $8 for students and senior citizens.  The box office, located in the Center for the Performing Arts, is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and can be reached at (309) 438-2535.

Directed by graduate student Bob Quinlan, "Yerma" is one of Lorca's "rural trilogy," the other plays being "Blood Wedding" and the often-performed "The House of Bernarda Alba."  The plays emphasize the submissive position of women who desire freedom in a traditional society which denies them social or sexual equality.

During the same four evenings, the School of Theatre introduces its free "Will" series, productions of Shakespeare in Allen Theatre with all tickets only $3.  "A Winter's Tale," directed by graduate student Mark Baer, will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 to 6.

King Leontes suspects his wife, Hermione, and his friend, Polixenes, of betraying him. When he forces Polixenes to flee for his life, Leontes sets in motion a chain of events that lead to death, an infant left in the snow, young love and a statue coming to life.