BOLIVAR, Mo. – The Southwest Baptist University Theatre announces its 2020-2021 season with an exciting and diverse combination of shows
on the theme of Perseverance on the Bolivar campus for a variety of audiences.
Up first is a 24-hour theatre festival performance at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Beginning at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, teams of students and SBU Theatre Alumni have 24 hours to write, direct, memorize and design original 10-minute plays before they are performed on Oct. 3.
SBU Theatre will open the season with “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare at 7 p.m. Nov. 12-14 in the Davis-Newport Theater on the Bolivar campus. This gender-swapped version retains Shakespeare’s original verse, but reimagines the story with a few twists, including a female lead, and is directed by Jonathan Wehmeyer, assistant professor of communication and theatre at SBU.
The remainder of the schedule includes:
- Feb. 25-27 – “The Exception and the Rule,” by Bertolt Brecht, at 7 p.m., directed by SBU Theatre student, Christina Foltz. This one-act displays German playwright and director Bertolt Brecht’s style in content and form through its portrayal of the conflict between a merchant and his servant as they struggle for money and survival.
- April 15-17 – “Godspell,” by Stephen Schwartz, at 7 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinée on April 18, directed by Wehmeyer. This beloved musical, which is a musical retelling of the Gospel story, offers a message of hope through its innovative telling of the story of Jesus.
Tickets range in price from $4-$10 and may be purchased at the Box Office in Jester Learning and Performance Center from 1-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, over the phone at (417) 328-1691 or online at www.sbuniv.edu/theatre.
“As an educational theatre, we value partnership with local schools and teachers,” Wehmeyer said. “Our dramaturgs prepare study packets to accompany each performance to further student engagement and the overall educational experience. These packets are available upon request and can be tailored to fit any age range.”
SBU Theatre typically produces four main stage productions each year, as well as other events such as improv shows, student plays and one-act plays. Both theatre majors and students from other majors have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of theatre arts. As a part of the SBU Theatre experience, students have the opportunity to work on productions that are solely designed by students with guidance from the faculty members.
For more information about the productions and SBU Theatre, contact Wehmeyer at (417) 328-1954 or jwehmeyer@SBUniv.edu.
*Published: 9-9-2020