The Penn State School of Theatre kicked off its run with Adam Guettel’s hit musical, “The Light in the Piazza,” Tuesday night. It’ll be performed until April 15 at the Penn State Downtown Theatre Center with a full schedule available here.

Tickets can be purchased at the theater, the Eisenhower box office, the Bryce Jordan Center, or by calling 814-863-0255. Evening tickets are $25, Preview/Matinee tickets are $20 and Penn State student tickets are $12.50 with a valid student ID.

“The Light in the Piazza” tells the tale of Margaret Johnson and her beautiful daughter Clara as they travel to see the wonders that Italy has to provide. Their trip takes an unexpected turn for the worse when a charismatic Italian captures Clara’s heart, prompting Margaret to reveal the secret about her daughter.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to direct this beautiful musical,” director Darcy Evan said. “It tells its story through the eyes of a mother and her daughter, which is a rarity in the musical theatre.”

For any attendee expecting “The Light in the Piazza” to be a story of pure romance, you’ll find yourself pleasantly surprised. Even while Margaret struggles with giving the two lovers her blessings, she is far more concerned about Clara’s future.

“I believe it is a paradigm for all mothers and all parents of children in terms of how you let go of them and how they let go of you,” playwright Craig Lucas said. “It is the difficulty of it and the knowledge that your kids will never truly be safe. But it is also a story about the power of love and its capacity for healing.”