Department of Theatre presents acclaimed comedy “˜Brighton Beach Memoirs’

Valparaiso University’s Department of Theatre presents Neil Simon’s poignant comedy “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” starting April 18 at the University Theatre at the Center for the Arts.

The production will run through April 22. Performances April 18-20 are at 8 p.m., and performances April 21-22 are at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for senior citizens and non-Valpo students. Admission is free for Valpo faculty, staff and students. Visit www.valpo.edu/TheArts or call 219.464.5162 to purchase tickets.

In Simon’s critically acclaimed and award-winning play, 15-year-old Eugene Morris Jerome can’t decide if he wants to grow up to play for the Yankees or be a writer. In the meantime, he can barely think of anything else but girls. Eugene proves that growing up can be as funny as it is painful in the Jerome household in the lower-middle-class neighborhood of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn.

“While the play certainly is quite funny, it is also very rich and textured, touching upon some of the more serious aspects of familial relationships,” Director R. Andrew White said. “It is one of Simon’s autobiographical and deeply personal plays.”

Debuting on Broadway on March 27, 1983, “Brighton Beach Memoirs” was hailed as “hilarious comedy “¦ Simon’s finest play … a delightful and enriching experience.”

About Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University is a comprehensive independent Lutheran university with more than 4,000 students on its campus located in Northwest Indiana, an hour from Chicago. Valpo is a community of purpose-driven, service-minded and ethical individuals who embrace the pursuit of truth with freedom, humility and compassion. Valpo has been identified as one of the top master’s-level institutions in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report magazine for the past 22 years. Valparaiso University offers 110 undergraduate academic programs through the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering and Nursing. Valpo also has a distinguished honors college, a School of Law and more than 40 degree and certificate programs in its Graduate School and Continuing Education Division. Valpo has been recognized for its commitment to outstanding teaching, preparing thoughtful leaders with strong cross-cultural skills and global awareness, and dedication to serving others.

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