Theatre Department News

Monmouth College Department of Theatre to open the 2013-’14 season with weekend of student directed shows!

Faculty, staff, and students of the Monmouth College Department of Theatre are eager to be back in full swing of things after having some time off for summer break. The department is pleased to announce that it will be opening the season with a weekend of student directed shows! The Fourposter, directed by senior Merissa Lewiston and Neil Simon’s The Good Doctor, directed by senior Courtney Jonsson.

The Fourposter will open Thursday, October 3 at 7:30pm and continue to run Saturday, October 5 at 2:00pm and Sunday, October 6 at 7:30pm. It is the life story of a man and a woman from the time they are newlyweds and moving into their new home, to their older years, as they are getting ready to move out of their home. The whole story takes place around the couple’s four-poster bed set.  The Good Doctor will open Friday, October 4 at 7:30pm and continue to run Saturday, October 5 at 7:30pm and Sunday October 6 at 2:00pm. An unnamed writer is suffering a fit of writer’s block. After speaking with the audience about his frustrations, he narrates to them several of his short stories. Both shows are guaranteed to have you laughing and are appropriate for the whole family.

What’s unique about this weekend of performances is both shows are student-run productions; meaning spots on the production teams, including the director positions, are all filled by students. Director Merissa Lewiston says this experience is special because, “It’s a great opportunity to work with my peers on a different level. In some ways I am sharing my knowledge with them, and at the same time my cast and crew are teaching me how to be a more effective director.” The opportunity to direct a main stage production is one not given to undergrads at many other colleges/universities. Director Courtney Jonsson says, “This will give me a chance to practice balancing my professional life with my personal life.  I am the director in rehearsal and during meetings, every other time I am just a student at Monmouth College.” 

Another interesting feature of these performances is that they will be presented in alley style seating. Instead of audience members sitting in the house section of The Wells Theater, seating will be on the stage, on either side of the performance. This style of seating is something not seen at Monmouth College in the recent past, giving the students involved in the shows and audience members alike a new experience. Alley style seating will give audience members a more intimate viewing of the show; just a preview of what is to come in the soon to open downtown storefront theatre space, coming in the spring.

The Fourposter will run October 3, 5, and 6. The Good Doctor will run October 4, 5, and 6. Tickets will be $4 for Monmouth College ID holders, $5 for students and senior citizens, and $6 for adults. More information on these productions and the upcoming theatre season is available at: http://department.monm.edu/theatre/theater/2013-2014.htm#fourposter. To make reservations for either show please send an email to: theater@monmouthcollege.edu. For further information, please contact Dr. Bill Wallace at 309.457.2374 or email him at billw@monmouthcollege.edu