Last ‘Godspell’ performance to be presented Aug. 10
FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Huntington, Ind.-The traveling theatre troupe from Huntington University will present "Godspell" for the last time at 7 p.m. on Aug. 10 in the Zurcher Auditorium of the Merillat Centre for the Arts. The show is free and open to the public.
This summer, 13 students and one future student from the University put on "Godspell" - one of the biggest off-Broadway and Broadway successes of all time - at churches throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. The group performed more than 40 shows between June 7 and August 10.
This is the second consecutive run for the production, which toured for more than 40 performance venues last season.
"Godspell" opens with John the Baptist calling a group of strangers to leave their everyday routines to follow and learn from Jesus. They form a traveling theatre troupe that acts out the parables through song, dance and comedy.
Unlike earlier productions of "Godspell," which cast Jesus and his disciples as a traveling band of troubadours, this interpretation casts Christ as the producer/director of the ultimate variety show. Jesus comes to help his followers find their talent and voice - not to glorify themselves, but to help spread His Message.
Each "Godspell" performance is the end result of a two-and-a-half week rehearsal intensive "boot camp" in which student actors and musicians join the professional production team to mount energetic, non-stop performances.
The cast and crew include Matthias Austin of Wheaton, Ill.; Alicia Bonham of Upland, Ind.; Brad DeYoung of Lansing, Ill.; Andrew Edmonds of Beloit, Wis.; Kylie Edmonds of Bourbon, Ind.; Katie Geders of Huntington, Ind.; Patrick Harding of Avilla, Ind.; Patrick Irick of Huntington, Ind.; Meghan McClaine of Greencastle, Ind.; Tory Nelson of Granger, Ind.; Peter Owens of Indianapolis, Ind.; Ted Stavrou of Greencastle, Pa.; Joel Wentz of Greencastle, Pa.; and Justin Wentz of Greencastle, Pa. Irick, who plans to attend Huntington University in the fall of 2008, is a junior at Huntington North High School.
The production team is led by David Shamburger, director and assistant professor of theatre arts. Kristi Shamburger, adjunct professor of theatre arts, is the choreographer. Mike Burnett served as the scenic and lighting designer, and Ella Burnett managed costume design and dramaturgy. Company manager Jeremy Rufener is in his third year on the staff of Huntington University as a field representative in the Advancement Office.
For more information, call the University's Department of Theatre Arts at (260) 359-4257.
