Show Explores Life in Soviet Union

A dark and funny play exploring the lives of six women living under the Soviet regime will be performed on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

“Child of Hungry Times” will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre in Blaisdell Hall as part of the university’s Spectrum Series. Admission is free. Some language and content may not be suitable for young children.

Based on the controversial writings of Soviet dramatist Ludmila Petrushevskaya, “Child of Hungry Times” is a critically acclaimed, one-woman show written and performed by Bridget Bailey.

“The play consists of multiple women’s voices, all struggling with a society that seems not to have their best interests in mind,” said Dr. Kevin Ewert, associate professor of theater.

After performing “Child of Hungry Times” at Duke University for her senior thesis project, Bailey received a grant and a Benenson Award in the Arts to produce the show in Seattle. She has since performed the production for audiences in Moscow and New York.

“I'm very excited for our students and campus community to see this work — which is both intimate and deep — created by a student that has then had a very rich theatrical life beyond its academic origins,” Ewert said.

According to Seattle’s La Rhussophobe Journal, “Bailey’s performance is one of those marvels of quick-change artistry, not just costumes, but posture, gait and accent, too.”

For more information, call the Bromeley Family Theater Box Office at (814) 362-5113.