Findlay, Ohio, Feb. 22, 2002 — Several special events will be held in conjunction with the world premiere revival of Richard Rodgers’ REX, which will be performed on The University of Findlay campus April 11-13 and April 16-20 at 8 p.m. in the newly renovated John & Hester Powell Grimm Theatre in the Egner Fine Arts Center.

Music for this 1976 musical was written near the end of Rodgers’ life and features lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. The book, based on the infamous reign of Henry VIII, is by Sherman Yellen.

An opening night reception is slated for Thursday, April 11, at 6 p.m. in the Alumni Memorial Union Atrium. This event will include a “First Nighters” event beginning at 7 p.m. and featuring Alexander Bielakowski, professor of history and political science at UF, speaking on “The Reign of Henry VIII.” Bielakowski holds history degrees from Loyola University, where he studied with noted Stuart-Tudor English scholar Robert Bucholz, a fellow of New College-Oxford University. Bielakowski received his doctorate from Kansas State University and is a published author on the history of ethnicity, film and warfare.

On Saturday, April 13, at 5 p.m., a black tie gala will be held at the Findlay Inn & Conference Center. Those in attendance will then be treated to a private performance of the show at 8:15 p.m. in the Grimm Theatre. Cost for the black tie gala is $125 per couple or $75 per person. Attending the gala will be Sheldon Harnick, who wrote the lyrics for Rodgers’ work in REX.

A REX concert lecture and dessert reception will be featured on Sunday, April 14, at 7 p.m. in the Egner Fine Arts Center. Cost is $25 per person or $10 for those who attended the black tie gala.

Another “First Nighters” event will be held on Thursday, April 18, at 7 p.m. in the Alumni Memorial Union Atrium. Geoffrey Block, professor of music history at The University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash., will speak on “The End of an Era: The Final Career of Richard Rodgers.” Block’s history of the Broadway musical, titled Enchanted Evenings: The Broadway from “Showboat” to Sondheim,” was published in 1997 by Oxford University Press. His work on Rodgers includes The Richard Rodgers Reader, which was recently published by Oxford.

All events are open to the public. Tickets for REX performances go on sale March 11 and are available by calling the UF box office at 419-434-4531. Those wishing to attend either of the “First Nighter” events, the black tie gala or the concert lecture are asked to RSVP by calling Anne Hermiller at 419-434-6610 by March 27.

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