CUW Theatre has had to get extra creative lately to keep the arts alive. So we thought we'd join in the fun and have you flex your problem-solving muscles for the spring 2021 lineup reveal.
The emoji clues below hint at each of this semester’s Theatre efforts. Give it a guess, and then scroll down to see the answers and to learn more.
The spring 2021 CUW Theatre lineup
This spring, CUW Theatre is tackling seven separate productions. Most of them will be virtual, but the Concordia Players will look to bring back the in-person audience for its February production (reduced capacity in the Todd Wehr Auditorium).
Ticketing and viewing information will be made available closer to each one’s release date. Check cuw.edu/theatre for more details as the show dates approach.
1. “I Have a Dream”—January 18
In honor of MLK Day, CUW Theatre will take on the story of boyhood Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, and how his dream was inspired. This Zoom play will be released to area grade schools (grades 5K-3rd) as it is designed to inspire young dreamers that, with faith and courage, much is possible.
2. “The Agitators”—Mid-February
CUW Theatre will recognize Black History Month with a Zoom play that tackles the enduring but tempestuous friendship of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. “The Agitators” is the story of that forty-five-year friendship–from its beginning in Rochester, through a civil war, and to the highest halls of government. A virtual talkback and discussion will follow.
3. “My Funny Valentine”—Saturday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, this live event is part of a 24-hour student play festival, where the students will be assigned short scripts and monologues that comically revolve around love and romance. The students have 24 hours to write, rehearse, and then perform the skits. Some skits will be non-original. The production will take place in the Todd Wehr Auditorium. COVID-19 capacity is 96, and all audience must wear masks and social distance.
4. “Around the World in 80 Days”—Mid-March
For their annual children’s show, the Concordia Players will take on Mark Brown’s adaptation of one of the greatest adventures of all time. School groups will be invited to join fearless adventurer Phileas Fogg and his faithful manservant as they race to beat the clock! Danger, romance, and comic surprises abound in this whirlwind of a show as five actors portraying 39 characters traverse seven continents. This is a Zoom play.
5. “War of the Worlds” (Live Radio Play)—Mid-March
Broadcast from New York’s Mercury Theatre in 1938, this infamous radio play, based on the novel by H. G. Wells, had many terrified listeners convinced that an actual alien invasion of Earth was taking place. Adapted by “Casablanca” co-writer Howard E. Koch and directed and narrated by Orson Welles, this story is the frightening tale of an extraterrestrial takeover that is sure to bring new thrills and chills to audiences. CUW Theatre will broadcast live, and the recording will be made available for rewind at a later date.
6. “Pandemic Tales”—Late-April
From work derived in Theatre courses during the spring 2021 semester, these are original scenes and monologues inspired by both real and fictional accounts of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The scripts will be written and performed by CUWAA Theatre students in a Zoom play format.
7. Disney Singathon—Early-May
The students of THTR 269 Musical Theatre and Dance, as well as other Theatre participants and minors, will present an evening of show-stopping musical numbers that hail from all the great Disney musicals: Mary Poppins, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Frozen, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tarzan, and many more. Join CUW Theatre for a livestream of a virtual musical concert that will have you singing and dancing along at home.
— This story is written by Kali Thiel, director of university communications for Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor. She may be reached at kali.thiel@cuw.edu or 262-243-2149.
If this story has inspired you, why not explore how you can help further Concordia's mission through giving.