THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 27, 1996 TAG: 9609250122
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LORI A. DENNEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 70 lines
NOT MANY PEOPLE can lay claim to writing 40 different plays that have been performed some 9,000 times. But, Dr. Gillette Elvgren, head of Regent University's Theatre Arts Department, can.
Elvgren, who has been in his job for nearly seven years, will add yet another performed play to his resume when university theater students perform ``Brendan's Journey,'' a tale about a famous 6th century Irish monk and his travels.
The play opens tonight at 8 p.m. at Regent Theater. Based on the journals of St. Brendan Finnloag, a real Irish monk, the play explores the possibility that Brendan may have actually been the first European to discover the North American continent and not Columbus.
``(You're) not going to see a biblical-kind-of-preachy play,'' said Elvgren. ``It'll be very hard-hitting, very visual and full of all kinds of different sensations.''
Elvgren is very serious about writing plays. He and his wife of 33 years, B.J., recently took a trip to Ireland, where they were able to walk on the same paths that Brendan did.
And you can bet that this is not the first play Elvgren has had performed by his students nor will it likely be the last. In fact, even the students' plays are performed.
``Eighty percent of our productions are original, except for Shakespeare,'' said Elvgren, 54. ``I think we're the only theater in the country that runs 80 percent original work.''
Elvgren's theatrical works also have toured the country. Most of his plays that are performed by other touring companies are those dealing with social issues such as AIDS, teenage sexuality, child abuse and violence in schools.
``These plays,'' he said, ``get a lot of mileage in elementary and middle schools.''
Elvgren gets a percent of money each time the plays are performed. Though, he admits, it's not enough to do what he would like to do full time - write.
Currently, he's in the midst of writing a play dealing with racism and will soon be taking a sabbatical to work on a musical. He's also working on an interactive CD game for children.
When he's not working full time in the Theatre Arts Department, he's at home in Chesapeake with his wife. A nationally known fabric artist, B.J. Elvgren recently won the ``Best Quilt in Virginia,'' according to Good Housekeeping.
The Elvgrens have three college-age sons and two border collies.
``Every time we lose a son we get a dog,'' laughed Elvgren.
He was a tenured professor at the University of Pittsburgh before he accepted a position with Regent University.
The play continues with performances Saturday and Sunday and Oct. 4, 5 and 6 at The Regent Theatre, 1000 Regent University Drive. Admission is $5 and $4 for seniors, students and groups. Call 579-4245. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS
Dr. Gillette Elvgren, head of Regent University's Theatre Arts
Department, has written ``Brendan's Journey,'' a play that explores
the possibility that a 6th century Irish monk may have been the
first European to discover the North American continent.
Graphic
WHEN & WHERE
Performances of ``Brendan's Journey,'' a play written by Dr.
Gillette Elvgren, will be at 8 tonight, Saturday and Sunday and
Oct. 4, 5 and 6 at the Regent Theatre at Regent University, 1000
Regent University Drive.
The cost is $5 and $4 for seniors, students and groups. Call
579-4245. by CNB