Pin It
ImageAurora, New York – The Wells College Arts & Lecture Series will welcome the award-winning Aquila Theatre Company to campus on Friday, April 18 for a stage production of Joseph Heller’s important play, “Catch-22.”  The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Phipps Auditorium, Macmillan Hall.

The Aquila Theatre Company’s dynamic and humorous new production of Joseph Heller’s own stage adaptation of his classic novel “Catch-22” will explore the important and timely questions surrounding the nature of war and its impact on American society.

Joseph Heller himself was a bomber pilot during World War II; he created his novel and his play in response to his own experience. “Catch-22” is set on an island off the coast of Italy, where World War II bombardier Yossarian is caught in a world of bureaucratic absurdity and irrational madness. Determined to keep the squadron active and on the front line, Yossarian’s superiors abuse their authority by increasing the number of required flying missions, making it impossible for anyone to complete these missions and be discharged from duty.

Yossarian’s efforts to plead insanity fail, as his superiors realize that active avoidance displays a healthy mental state. Yossarian avoids the missions by creating ridiculous excuses, but in doing so prolongs his duty as the missions continue to accrue. A maze of inter-related “Catch-22’s” develops as the play unfolds.

“Catch-22” is a great American classic, and the term itself has become embedded in our everyday vocabulary. This will be the first-ever professional production of “Catch-22” to tour nationally.

----
v4i14
Pin It