STANDARD PRESS RELEASE
Contact Information:
The Colorado Springs School
Marie Newbrough
Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications
(719) 434-3514
mnewbrough@css.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 10, 2023
BOOK BANNING AND CENSORSHIP ARE THE THEMES OF THE FALL THEATER PRODUCTION AT THE COLORADO SPRINGS SCHOOL
The book burnings that the Nazis organized horrified author Ray Bradbury and motivated him to develop the famous novel Fahrenheit 451, a classic dystopian book written in 1957. During this period in American history, many issues faced our country post-World War II and were boiling to the surface including the Red Scare, Atomic weapon development, Communism, and ideological repression.
The novel was an evolution of many of his short stories and ideas and has been considered a classic ever since. The book itself has even fallen victim to censorship over the period of several decades.
Our fall play at The Colorado Springs School (CSS) is based on Fahrenheit 451, and the plot presents an American society where books have been personified and outlawed, and "firemen" burn any that are found. Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which paper ignites. Montag, a fireman, has worked as a civil servant for ten years burning books. Lately, he has become increasingly unsure about what he is doing and about his vegetable-like existence. It is not until he meets 16-year-old Clarisse, who is filled with strange ideas, that he is led into a dangerous and highly combustible situation. Now he must choose between continuing his nonexistent existence and risking everything for the right to think.
On November 17th only, a pre-show panel of local authors from the Colorado Springs community will be held before the curtain opens to discuss censorship in the arts at 5:30 p.m., with a 7:00 p.m. theater performance. The panel discussion will be hosted on campus in the historic Trianon library, a building on the National Historic Register.
Jonathan Andujar, CSS Theater director will host our panel including local artist Ashley Cornelius, Pikes Peak Poet Laureate and Nancy Vogel, the former theater director at Wasson High School. Nancy experienced many challenges in order to produce The Laramie Project, a drama centered around the murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming.
Jonathan Andujar has been active in the arts community of Colorado Springs as a poet, director, actor, playwright, and producer since 2012. In 2013, Jonathan was the performance poet of the year (Pikes Peak Arts Council) and qualified for the Colorado Springs national poetry slam team. Directing credits include In the Heights (Vintage Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors and Puffs (The Colorado Springs School), Ghost Stories and Merriments and Mysteries (THEATREdART). Acting credits include; Mother Courage (General, Soldier, Ensemble) as well as Tall, Tall, Tales (Paul Bunyan) with the Millibo Art Theatre, Little Shop of Horrors (Puppeteer) with THEATREWORKS, and Peter and the Starcatcher (Capt. Scott, Ensemble) with the Fine Arts Center. Playwriting credits include works with the CS Fine Arts Center such as To Slay the Dragon, and the radio plays Leonidas, and Invasion!!! Jonathan is appreciative of The Colorado Springs School for allowing him to continue to expand in his craft.
The CSS fall theater production with the Upper School students (Grades 9-12) will be an adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s novel and performed on November 17th and 18th at 7:00 p.m. in the Louisa Performing Arts Center at The Colorado Springs School (CSS). It is recommended for ages 12+ and contains mild language. Tickets are $5 for Nov 17 & 18th performances, the pre-panel discussion on Nov. 17th is free.
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About The Colorado Springs School (CSS)
The Colorado Springs School is an independent day school serving students from PreKindergarten through grade 12. Through superior academics and mentoring, CSS prepares students to think independently and to meet the needs of a dynamic world with leadership, ingenuity, problem-solving skills, and personal integrity. Learn more at css.org. The school is located on a historic property of 28 acres at 21 Broadmoor Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80906.