BOLIVAR, Mo. — The Southwest Baptist University Theatre program opens the 2017-2018
season with “Inventing van Gogh,” a play written by Steven Dietz and directed by SBU
student DJ Luckel. The show will be presented at 7 p.m. Sept. 21-23 in the Davis-Newport
Theater on the Bolivar campus.
“Inventing van Gogh” presents a non-realistic, back-and-forth perspective between present-day and 17th Century France. When a contemporary painter, Patrick, is hired to forge Vincent van Gogh’s final lost self-portrait, van Gogh himself begins to appear in Patrick’s studio. As the reality of van Gogh’s life starts to overshadow his well-known myth, Patrick finds himself in a moral struggle.
Luckel, a senior theatre major, says the show is “a wonderful opportunity to break down emotional barriers and touch on subjects such as mental illnesses, suicide and grief.”
A post-show discussion will follow the performance each evening.
“Providing our audience an opportunity to respond to what they experience in our productions is one of the most exciting elements of the theatre we do at SBU,” said Jonathan Wehmeyer, instructor of theatre.
“Being involved in an entirely student-designed show is a daunting task,” said Sophia Marsh, a senior theatre major, and the show’s scenic designer, “but all of the design elements have come together seamlessly to create a beautiful, cohesive show. The design process has been a great learning experience, and I’m excited to see the finished result.”
Tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for SBU alumni, senior citizens, and other students, and $4 for SBU students and children. Tickets may be purchased at the Box Office in Jester Learning and Performing Center, over the phone at (417) 328-1691 or online at http://www.sbuniv.edu/theatre.
For more information about the production and SBU Theatre, contact Wehmeyer at (417) 328-1954 or jwehmeyer@SBUniv.edu.
*Published: 9-18-17