Fresno State’s Experimental Theatre Company will present its fall production of the 2024 – 2025 season, “God of Carnage,” written by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, and directed by Diego J. Sosa.
Performances are at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, at the Lab School 101 Theatre.
Tickets are $5 for all, and children under 12 are not permitted. Content Warning: Production contains staged physical violence, depictions of vomit, and vulgar language.
A playground altercation between 11-year-old boys brings together two sets of Brooklyn parents for a meeting to resolve the matter. At first, diplomatic niceties are observed, but as the meeting progresses and the rum flows, tensions emerge, and the gloves come off, leaving the couples with more than just their liberal principles in tatters.
“Yasmina Reza’s plays generally take seemingly mundane situations and escalate them into profound revelations about human nature, and this play is no exception,” says director Diego J. Sosa. “However, what makes this piece unique is its combination of incredibly dark and funny people who think they can say anything without consequence. It just gets funnier and funnier and funnier, and I think it can drive us to think how we can be better people by the time we leave the theatre.”
Winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Play, “God of Carnage” has been acclaimed for its sharp wit and incisive exploration of human nature. Critics like Ben Brantley of “The New York Times” describe its dialogue as a “verbal fencing match,” while The Independent highlights its commentary on adult behavior, viewing a simple parental dispute as a reflection of society’s moral failings. Reza masterfully crafts a tense atmosphere where vividly drawn characters oscillate between civility and raw emotion, leading to both hilarious and unsettling revelations. With its tight structure and thought-provoking themes, the play serves as a striking commentary on the fragility of societal norms and the darker side of human nature, leaving audiences both amused and contemplative.
The production features performances from Nico J. Diviccaro, Jonathan Perez, Jordan Stewart, and Madeline Thaller, with Kiana Chitsazan, Caroline Herling, Sage Rivera and Cesar Jared Uribe serving as understudies.
Fresno State no longer requires masks to be word indoors, but based on updated guidance from public health experts, the University highly recommends that all students, faculty, and staff, regardless of vaccination status, wear a surgical grade or KN95 mask indoors. Doors are open 30 minutes before curtain. Latecomers will not be permitted, and there are no refunds or exchanges. Tickets must be purchased in advance. There will be no at-door sales.
Parking is free for shows on Friday night through Sunday matinee. For the 4 p.m. show on Friday, parking permits are required and can be purchased at dispensers in parking lots on campus.
About the Experimental Theatre Company
The Experimental Theatre Company is a student theatre company and laboratory experience that has been staging full productions since the 1960s. Members of ETC direct, stage manage, design, and act in productions each semester. Students of all majors & levels of experience are welcome to join! ETC is governed by peer-elected student board members who select each semester’s director and play and serve as mentors in design and technical theatre. With guidance from a faculty advisor, students enhance their abilities to creatively and collaboratively engage in all steps of the theatre production process, from conception to opening night.
For more information, contact the box office at 559.278.2216 or universitytheatre@csufresno.edu.
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 