The University of Alabama's theatre department is taking on a whale of a tale with the world premiere of Moby-Dick.  For three years, the play's writer, Dr. Steve Burch, and director, Seth Panitch, have discussed bringing the notorious story of Ismael, Captain Ahab, and the white whale to stages.  Moby-Dick has been adapted in the past, but Burch and Panitch's story will be unique.  Burch explains he looked to around 35 chapters of the book for action that would translate to the stage.  "At it's heart, Moby-Dick is an adventure tale,"he explains.  The book has been adapted into a two hour play. 

Panitch explains they orignally planned to have a very literal interpretation of the play, but instead decided to make their version much more theatrical.  "The audiences' dreams are always better than what we could ever give them," says Panitch.  Moby-Dick features a male and female cast of dancers and actors.  Roles traditionally played by males, such as Starbuck, are sometimes portrayed by actresses.  "I told them to play the character, not the gender,"says Burch.

Choreography by assistance professor of dance Qianping Guo features dancers in a variety of symbolic roles like the ocean, whales, fog, and harpoons.  Panitch says he and Guo sat down to determine the vocabulary of the choreography, deciding, for instance, how a dancer could portay a sailor's drowning with the use of fabrics.

Tickets can be purchased at the University of Alabama's department of theatre and dance box office in the lobby of Rowand-Johnson hall froom 12 to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 12 to 4 p.m. on Friday.  Tickets can also be ordered by calling 205-348-3499 or by going online to http://theatre.ua.edu

 Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for UA faculty and staff and senior citizens and $12 for students.