University of Dubuque's Department of Fine and Performing Arts to Present 'Of Mice and Men' by John Steinbeck

UPDATE

DUBUQUE, Iowa - The University of Dubuque's Department of Fine and Performing Arts will hold a post-show discussion following the 7:30 p.m. Friday, November 7, 2025, performance of Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck in Babka Theatre, Heritage Center.

"Theatre has the powerful and important potential to stir us, and the upcoming performance of Of Mice of Men does just that," said Joe Klinebriel, MFA, professor of theatre at UD who will direct the play.

Immediately following the Friday night performance, members of the cast and crew will engage in a post-show discussion with the audience. Klinebriel will facilitate the discussion.

ORIGINAL                                                                                                                                                                                           

DUBUQUE, Iowa - The University of Dubuque's Department of Fine and Performing Arts will perform Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, November 6-8, 2025, and 2:00 p.m. Sunday, November 9, 2025, in Babka Theatre, Heritage Center.

In this performance of John Steinbeck's adaptation of his novel Of Mice and Men, two migrant field hands - George, who is average-looking and smart, and Lennie, who has an intellectual disability and is strong - find work on a farm in California during the Great Depression. Their dreams lead to tragedy when Lennie gets too close to the wife of the boss' son.

Of Mice and Men will be directed by Joe Klinebriel, MFA, professor of theatre at UD. Steinbeck's classic tale has always been one that personally captivated Klinebriel, and he's excited about the prospect of sharing the story while at UD.

"I believe both the students working on the production and the audiences coming to see the show will be stirred by the performances and the universal themes that have made this story revered for so long," Klinebriel said. "Steinbeck created a narrative that remains relevant today because it explores such timeless themes as loneliness, the pursuit of dreams, and the struggle for human dignity. Steinbeck's portrayal of marginalized individuals - migrant workers, people with disabilities, women, and people of color - highlights issues of inequality and social injustice that still resonate in our modern society. Additionally, the emotional depth and moral complexity of the story continue to spark important conversations about compassion, power, and what it means to be human."

The character of George will be played by Chris Marriott, a senior theatre and theology double major from Dubuque.

"The constant undercurrent of this show is loneliness among companionship, an unfortunate byproduct of the model of individualistic consumerism that was being socially promoted at this time in our nation's history in the romanticized image of the 'self-made man.' This piece offers resistance to that image in favor of the benefits of forging communities over that of strict self-sufficiency," Marriott said. "In the end, George has to witness the collapse of his only dream in real time. A modest dream at that. I've certainly watched more than a few of my dreams being crushed in front of me. Revisiting and sitting with those feelings of helpless disappointment served as both inspiration for this role and provided a sense of catharsis for me. I think, unfortunately, that everyone can empathize with the heart-wrenching helplessness of asking for the bare minimum only to find out it's going to cost them the one thing that would make it meaningful in the first place."

Gabriel Green, a sophomore theatre major from Dubuque, will play the character of Lennie. It's a role Green said holds many difficult challenges - most of which revolve around presenting Lennie's disability accurately while also ensuring it is done respectfully.

"I have prepared myself for the role by studying Lennie's kid-like nature and uncontrollable behavior in multiple adaptations of the story," Green said. "I also help finalize my character decisions by making personal connections to aspects of Lennie's character."

For Green, Of Mice and Men is a tragic show about watching dreams fizzle away.

"Every character desperately wants something in this show, yet, despite their efforts, none of them get it. Something holds them down that they cannot change or control," Green said. "And it is even harder with Lennie because he does not fully understand. When the dream comes burning down, he does not even notice the fire. He ignores what holds him back and continues to dream. Because dreams are nice. Dreams are human. Dreams shape the world. But despite his great efforts to do good, he does not understand how to control himself. Which, in the process, destroys his and George's dream, built upon a house of cards."

Tickets may be purchased now! Stop by the Farber Box Office, Heritage Center, 2255 Bennett Street; call 563.585.7469; or visit www.dbq.edu/heritagecenter to purchase tickets. The box office is open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 90 minutes prior to events.

Of Mice and Men is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com)