Last ‘Godspell’ performance to be presented Aug. 6
FOR RELEASE: Thursday, July 20, 2006
Huntington, Ind.-The traveling theatre troupe from Huntington University will present "Godspell" for the last time at 7 p.m. on Aug. 6 in the Zurcher Auditorium of the Merillat Centre for the Arts. The show is free and open to the public.
This summer, 12 students and two alumni 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 8 and August 6.
"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.
Each "Godspell" performance has been the end result of a two and a half week rehearsal intensive "boot camp" in which student actors and musicians joined a professional production team to mount these energetic, non-stop performances.
The cast and crew include Abigail Allwein of Fort Wayne, Ind.; Blair K. Bullick of Waupaca, Wis.; Jeremy Russell Burkett of Huntington, Ind.; Cara Bussis of Holland, Mich.; Eric Church of Zionsville, Ind.; Joshua Dawes of Leesburg, Ind.; Bradley DeYoung of Lansing, Ill.; Dana Frick of Kendallville, Ind.; Kristen Lynne Kohaut from Mount Olive, N.J.; Keeley Lewis of Manchester, Iowa; Jennifer Miller of Berkeley, Ill.; Daniel Neil Olson of Orlando, Fla.; Rebekah Posegate of Lake Villa, Ill.; and Noah Varness of Morris, Ill.
The production team is led by director and Assistant Professor of Theatre David Shamburger. Mike Burnett, scenic and lighting designer, serves as assistant professor of theatre arts and chair for the Department of Theatre Arts. Kristi Shamburger, adjunct professor of theatre arts, will act as choreographer. Ella Burnett, adjunct professor of theatre arts, will manage costume design and dramaturgy for "Godspell." Company manager Jeremy Rufener is in his second 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) 359-4279.
