Based on Disney’s beloved 1989 animated classic, the stage musical premiered on Broadway in 2008. Ariel, a young mermaid princess played by senior Afton Rhodes-Lehman, dreams of the world above the sea and falls in love with a human, Prince Eric — played by senior Thaddeus Jackson — much to the dismay of her father, King Triton. She makes a deal with Ursula, a half-octopus sea witch played by community member Holly Hanks Wanta, and gives up her voice in exchange for a chance to become human and win Prince Eric’s heart. But, she only has three days to find true love; if she fails in her quest, her soul will belong to Ursula. 

“It’s been an exciting new world to dive into,” said Rhodes-Lehman, who grew up wearing Ariel-themed bracelets and sketching pictures of the Disney princess in her notebooks. “I feel like every kid grows up with that one movie idol and for me it was Ariel. Although, this version of Ariel is deeper and more fleshed-out than the one in the movies.”

The show is directed and produced by 91����Ƶ Theatre Program Director Justin Poole with music direction from 91����Ƶ faculty member Kyle Remnant and longtime collaborators Angie Clemens and Jim Clemens. It features a multigenerational cast and crew ranging in age from elementary through high school, as well as 91����Ƶ students, staff, alumni and community members. Rounding out the artistic staff are 91����Ƶ student Thomas Erickson (light operator), 91����Ƶ faculty/staff members Shannon Dove (tech director) and Rachel Herrick (costume designer), 91����Ƶ alums Jareya Harder ’22 (stage manager) and Robert Weaver ’18 (lighting designer), guest sound technician Tom Carr and resident choreographer Ellie de Waal.

The show features crowd-pleasing hits such as “Under the Sea,” “Part of Your World” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and a number of new songs only found in the musical.

“It’s an immersive experience with a Broadway score that has a gravitas and beauty that surpasses what you find in both film adaptations,” said Poole, adding that there is plenty of interaction between the audience and cast. “It truly feels like a big Broadway production in terms of the musical and dance numbers.”

A painted backdrop behind the stage allows for cutouts and puppets to add another dimension to the story. The show opens with a group of children in front of the backdrop playing out scenes from “The Little Mermaid” with character puppets. As the overture music swells, the play comes to life on a stage that is transformed into an underwater world featuring sea creatures and three-fourths of the set made from recycled materials and found objects.

A treasure chest doubles as a sailing ship gliding across the stage on wheels. An assortment of umbrellas, rakes and beach balls piece together to form a giant fish during a rendition of “Under the Sea.” When Ariel is saving Prince Eric from his shipwreck, an enormous piece of white fabric combined with strobe lights faithfully recreates the effects of a thunderstorm at sea.

“We’re putting on a massive, elaborate spectacle on a shoestring budget,” said Poole. “That’s the magic of it.”

The musical is geared toward all ages, with singing along from the audience encouraged.

Tickets are $6-$10 for students and children and $18-$20 for adults and seniors. For tickets, visit /theatre/program/calendar.

But don’t despair! Owners of a Chicago watch repair shop know how to easily extract those maddening head clocks. That is, if people don’t attempt to prolong life by transferring time to another mortal clock.

The quirky, but delightful “Hickorydickory” opens March 20 in 91����Ƶ’s MainStage Theater. The two-hour play, directed by associate professor , will also run March 21, 26, 27 and 28. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through the 91����Ƶ box office at 540-432-4582 or .

“I have wanted to do this play since before I came to 91����Ƶ,” Vogel says, who worked with playwright Marisa Wegrzyn at Washington University in St. Louis. “[I] love her dark and twisted humorous approach to telling life-affirming tales.”

Wegrzyn, who won the 2009 Wasserstein Prize for “Hickorydickory,” will be on campus for a Q&A after the March 28 performance. She’ll also hold a writing workshop for students on creating complex characters in the MainStage Theater at 2 p.m. on March 28.

Having the playwright watch your performance can be daunting for any actor. Senior Rebekah York, a major, is admittedly nervous about Wegrzyn liking her portrayal of Cari Lee Bliley, but “thrilled about her coming.”

To prepare for her role, York began by reading the script several times before focusing on her character’s lines. “I notice words or phrases she repeats, her sentence structure and also try to find where she would put emphasis on certain words,” York says.

Vogel had each actor create a music playlist their character would choose, an activity that York says helps her enter “my character zone.”

“While listening to the music, I imagine what my character does in her free time, how she interacts at school and what she does with her friends,” York says. “I try to get into her mind and fully embody every aspect of her being,” which includes gestures, a walk and voice different from her own.

Vogel also has her cast improvise events that are only referred to in the show. “This has been really useful in deepening the relationships between the characters by having the actors live those experiences, not just imagine,” she says.

Prop master Robert Weaver, a sophomore major, has had challenges building props for an old watch repair shop, which “isn’t quite the real world.” Finding mechanical and sprung-wound clocks is difficult in this electronic age. And then there are the props containing blood.

“Figuring out a mechanism that fits into a pocket watch and squirts bloods is definitely an interesting challenge,” he said.

Even though the play is decidedly wacky, its theme of human connections through love and sacrifice is universal.

“That lovely theme is in the world of pocket watches that spurt blood, two onstage surgeries and a rude, rebellious teenager who’s been stuck at age 17 for 18 years,” Vogel says. “I hope the audience will recognize themselves in these characters, their willingness to make loving choices even with their very human flaws.”

Andrea Andresakis, a stage director and choreographer from New York City, directs this .

“Andrea brings a rich background in theater, music and dance, working with both professional and student actors all over the country,” says , 91����Ƶ chair of .

of Arms and The Man are scheduled for: 7:30 p.m., April 5 and 6.

The play tells of a young woman who awaits the return of her heroic fiancé from war. A disheveled soldier from the other side sneaks into her bedroom, fleeing the fighting. Finding his simplicity more alluring than her fiancé’s arrogant posturing, she wrestles with which man to choose while her servant makes her own play for one of the men.

Since the first performance of this play in 1894, theater critics have praised the way Shaw expressed the absurdity of highly romanticized patriotism and highly idealized love.

Andresakis says the play also reflects 91����Ƶ’s social justice ideals of solving conflicts with words, not weapons: “While on this communal journey we ask ourselves, am I not like the chocolate soldier? Wouldn’t I rather carry chocolate in my pockets instead of weapons?”

are $10 for adults ($12 at the door), and $8 for seniors and non-91����Ƶ students ($10 at the door). Tickets are available through the at 540-432-4582 or emu.edu/boxoffice. Group rates are available.

Information regarding age-appropriateness for 91����Ƶ events is available through the at 540-432-4360 or theater@emu.edu.

Cast

Makayla Baker, a first-year student from Augusta, W.Va.

Hattie Berg, a sophomore from Yorktown, Va.

Gabriel Brunk, a 2012 graduate of 91����Ƶ from Harrisonburg, Va.

Eric King, a junior from Harrisonburg, Va.

Andrew Mead, a first-year student from Sarasota, Fla.

Sean Solomon, a first-year student from Harleysville, Pa.

Isaac Tice, a junior from Salisbury, Pa.

Rebekah York, a first-year student from Bucharest, Romania

“Antigone struggles with questions about humankind’s relationship to God, but in Antigone’s case, the focus is the whole ‘render unto Caesar’ discussion about where we place our greatest trust and allegiance, between the state and the Creator,” said Tom Joyner, director and assistant professor of theater.

“Near the end of the play, there’s a reference to other ‘Antigones’ over the millennia – women who have stood up against the state and rigid authority on behalf of higher principles. I trust an 91����Ƶ audience will draw connections between Antigone’s journey and those of Aung San Suu Kyi and Leymah Gbowee.”

Leah Ott, who plays the character Antigone, says she appreciates how her character matures through the play.

“What I find unique about this play is Antigone is most likely still a teenager,” said Ott. “She is learning what love is like and she is becoming a woman in a world of men. She stands up for what she believes is truth, and boldly faces death to defend what is right.”

91����Ƶ the play

The play takes place following the battle for Thèbes in which Antigone’s two brothers have killed each other vying for the throne. The king has proclaimed that the younger brother, Polynices, must be left unburied while Antigone’s elder brother Etéocles should be given full burial rights. Antigone chooses to defy the king, Créon, by burying Polynices – with her bare hands – and is brought before Créon for judgment. The king attempts to excuse the offense, perhaps because Antigone is engaged to his son, but Antigone refuses to accept his pardon.

What ensues is a passionate dialogue concerning the nature of power, morality, fate and free will. Antigone’s actions eventually force the king’s hand, and the kingdom is rocked by yet more royal deaths.

Antigone is a modern adaption by Jean Anouilh of the original tragedy written by Sophocles, translated by Louis Gallantiere.

The adaption by Anouilh was first performed in Paris during the Nazi occupation with several parallels to the French Resistance and the war in France.

Tickets, more information

Reserved tickets are $10 for adults ($12 at the door) and $8 for seniors and non-91����Ƶ students ($10 at the door).

Tickets are available through 91����Ƶ’s box office at 540-432-4582 or emu.edu/boxoffice. Group rates are available.

Information regarding age-appropriateness for 91����Ƶ events is available through the theater office at 540-432-4360 or theater@emu.edu.

Cast and supporting members

Shannon Dove, staff member

Elisha Keener, a first-year student from Mount Joy, Pa./Donegal High School

Coryn LaVeist, a first-year student from Norfolk, Va./Kings Fork High School

Jenna Longenecker, a junior from Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley High School

Tulia MacDicken, a first-year student from Centreville, Va./Westfield High School

Erica Maholmes, a first-year student from Harrisonburg, Va./Turner Ashby High School

Leah Ott, a senior from Harpers Ferry, WVa./Jefferson High School

Kayla Sasser, a senior from Maurertown, Va./Strasburg High School

Holly Solomon, a sophomore from Harleysville, Pa./Christopher Dock High School

Ariel Vogel, a first-year student at Harrisonburg High School, Harrisonburg, Va.

Phil Yoder, a first-year student from Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite High School

The exhibit will take up much of the floor of the at 91����Ƶ (91����Ƶ), Wednesday, Jan. 25, through Thursday, Feb. 2 Thereafter, the exhibit will return to the earth in the form of compost.

, associate professor of collected coffee grounds from local shops, dried them, and then “dry painted” them on the gallery floor to illustrate rainforest flora and fauna found in Central and South America.

“The rainforest supports a range of plants and animals and it is being thrown off balance by the over-development of hybrid, sun-grown coffee,” Gusler said. “Birds that appear in the gallery depend on the rainforest habitat, including the flycatcher, whose habitat is being lost at such a rapid rate it is now an endangered species.”

Using recycled coffee grounds allows Gusler to tie in sustainability and shed light on farming practices that “have left a shadow of what the land used to be.”

Gusler, with the help of 91����Ƶ student Kelby Miller, set up a time-lapse camera to take pictures every second to document her work. Miller edited the footage as part of a .

Despite over investing over 40 hours of work, Gusler does not want this art to exist permanently. “After the show, I will sweep up the drawing and toss the grounds onto the 91����Ƶ compost pile so they can infuse the earth with potential for growth.”

There is an opening presentation at 4 p.m. in the 91����Ƶ with gallery reception at 5 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.

For more information contact the VaCA department at 540-432-4360 or email cyndi.gusler@emu.edu.

“The opportunity for 91����Ƶ students to interact with a performer and scholar of this caliber is a fantastic gift,” said , chair of 91����Ƶ’s . “Dr. Mwangola speaks to the power of storytelling and theater to build community.”

A native of Kenya, Mwangola’s pedagogy, research and creative work are grounded in understanding performance as process and as the product on meaning-making. “She has performed, conducted workshops, researched and worked with and for diverse performance ensembles and individuals on four continents, with a career stretching over 25 years, primarily in acting, directing and story-telling, focusing on African literature by women,” according to her .

Schedule of events

Mwangola will be offering a workshop on women’s voices with ties to literature at 1 p.m., Nov. 15. Admission is free and open to the general public.

Her second workshop will focus on drumming, chanting and working with rhythm at 3 p.m., Nov. 15. Admission is free but limited to the first 15 respondents. Contact the 91����Ƶ theater department to register at theater@emu.edu.

Mwangola will give a performance on three African short stories by women: New Life at Kyerafaso, Dressing the Dirge and To Be Feminist Is…, 8 p.m., on the .

91����Ƶ Mwangola

Mwangola earned her PhD in performance studies from Northwestern University in Chicago. She is chairperson of the Governing Council of the Kenya Cultural Center and serves as vice-chairperson of the Uraia Trust.

For more information and to RSVP contact the 91����Ƶ theater department at 540-432-4360 or theater@emu.edu.

Martin’s memoir  provides “an intimate perspective on academic politics and health care in Canada and the United States, which Dr. Martin is perfectly poised to critique,” according to publisher  .  Alfalfa to Ivy is a “compelling narrative for non-specialists as well as academics and professionals,” according to the publisher. The public lecture will focus on Dr. Martin’s lifetime of learning on the topic of leadership.

After one year of medical school at the University of Alberta at Edmonton, Martin journeyed to Eastern Mennonite where he studied one year, receiving a BS degree in Bible in 1959.  Following his time at 91����Ƶ, Martin pursued advanced studies in medical science that ultimately led him to the top leadership positions at the medical schools of the University of California at San Francisco and more recently at Harvard.

“That one year [at 91����Ƶ] transformed my life spiritually, emotionally and philosophically,” he said in a 2010 91����Ƶ commencement address. “I focused on Bible studies, ethics, some New Testament Greek, and took Mennonite history, music classes and choral conducting and sang in the male touring chorus – a fantastic experience indelibly imprinted in memory.”

Most importantly, he notes, he also met his wife of 51 years, Rachel Ann Wenger Martin, while at Eastern Mennonite.

Dr. Martin is a member of 91����Ƶ’s , a group of prominent leaders who are supporting efforts to garner lead funding for a new .

Dr. Joseph B. Martin is the Edward R. and Anne G. Lefler Professor of Neurobiology at and former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Harvard University.

The book will be available for purchase and signing at a reception immediately following the lecture in , University Commons.

Questions can be directed to 91����Ƶ President’s Office, 540-432-4100 or pres_office@emu.edu.

The program will feature Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee and documentary filmmaker Abigail Disney, along with other women from around the world who are involved in peacebuilding in their communities.

A trailer for the five-part documentary series, “Women, War and Peace,” that will air on public television this fall will be shown, and several of the women will reflect on their experiences in a panel discussion, with time for audience questions.

“Women, War & Peace” is PBS’s new five-part, prime-time television special that challenges the conventional wisdom that war and peace are men’s domain. It will debut in October 2011, featuring celebrity narrators such as Matt Damon, Tilda Swinson, Geena Davis and Alfre Woddard. The series reveals that many of today’s conflicts are not fought by nation states and their armies, but rather by informal entities: gangs and warlords using unconventional weapons. Women have become primary targets in these conflicts, but as the series demonstrates,they are also emerging as critical partners in brokering peace.

Abigail Disney is a filmmaker, philanthropist, and scholar, the granddaughter of Roy Disney and grandniece of Walt Disney, co-founders of the Walt Disney Company. Her longtime passion for women’s issues and peace-building culminated in her first film, the powerful feature documentary “Pray the Devil Back to Hell” (Fork Films, 2008), about the women of Liberia who brought peace to their broken nation after decades of destructive civil war and focuses on Leymah Gbowee’s peace activism.

Admission to the program is free. For more information, call 540-432-4979.

PARKING ALERT: Parking on campus will be extremely limited this night due to a local public high school graduation ceremony in the University Commons. Please find a spot in any lot on campus (you will not be ticketed for illegal parking). We trust your walk to the building will be well worth the effort!

The play, starring Ted Swartz and Tim Ruebke, allows audiences to laugh at themselves while raising important questions about the place of the U.S. in the world, confronting the fear that is such a large part of contemporary culture and exploring ways to honestly work for peace and justice in this country … and just maybe in the larger world!

Sketches include: “I’d Like to Buy an Enemy,” “Why Can’t I Get My Money Back?”, “The Reptilian Brain Speaks: We’re late! We’re late … are we late?” and “You Started it! – a treatise on the cycles of violence.”

Tim Ruebke will lead a discussion following the play.

Ted Swartz is a writer and actor who has been mucking around in the worlds of the sacred and profane for over 20 years. He is the creator or co-creator of over a dozen plays, including “FishEyes,” “Creation Chronicles,” “DoveTale,” “What Would Lloyd Do?” with Trent Wagler, “Tattered and Worn” and” Just Give ‘Em the News” with Jeff Raught, “I’d Like to Buy an Enemy,” “Excellent Trouble” with Ingrid de Sanctis, “Live at Jacob’s Ladder” and others. Ted is a theologian of a different sort. Both theater and seminary trained, he has found a unique, and entertaining, discovery: at the intersection of humor and biblical story is often a greater understanding of the text. Or, at the very least, a different understanding.

Tim Ruebke is executive director of the Fairfield Center in Harrisonburg. Since 1992, he has extensive experience mediating and facilitating general community, family, workplace, group/multi-party, and criminal circumstances. He is certified by the Supreme Court of Virginia as a mentor mediator and trainer and has been an adjunct faculty member for James Madison University and 91����Ƶ. He earned a BA degree in social work and an MA degree in conflict transformation from 91����Ƶ.

Admission is $10at the door.  For more information, contact the SPI office at 540-432-4653.

For more information on Ted & Company, contact: agent@tedandcompany.com or call 540-421-1716.

The one-woman show, produced and performed by Tevyn East, is touring faith communities and institutions of higher learning across the United States in 2011. Written in collaboration with Ched Myers, renowned biblical scholar and teacher, this show is about the interconnection of faith, ecology, and the global economy.

Weaving biblical and personal narrative, dance, song, music, and a touch of economic theory, “Leaps and Bounds” wrestles with the driving factors of our ecological crisis while awakening the imagination to a new way of living with and relating to Earth.

With foot-stomping songs, playful humor, daring dance sequences and vulnerable honesty, this show will draw the audience along a compelling journey, ultimately articulating a feeling of hope.

The daughter of two Presbyterian (USA) ministers, Tevyn East has spent most of her adult life developing original works of dance theater as well as teaching dance, organizing workshops and other cultural events in Charlottesville. While she appears on the stage alone, “Leaps and Bounds” is the result of a collaboration among many talented individuals.

East conceived of “Leaps and Bounds” while working with the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, an organization addressing the root causes of injustice, accompanying the vulnerable and marginalized and speaking truth to power in the heart of the United States capitol.

A full list of collaborators, themes and project resources is available at www.affordinghopeproject.org. Resource material about sustainable alternatives and faith-based initiatives are made available at each show.

Admission is free; a free-will offering will be taken.

For more information, call 540-432-4360; email: theater@emu.edu.

Facilities that comprise “Phase II” of the University Commons building at 91����Ƶ were dedicated in a brief, upbeat ceremony held in the renovated MainStage Theater at the south end of the Commons.

In addition to the 200-seat theater, the new or re-purposed space includes the Lee Eshleman Studio Theater, the Margaret Martin Gehman Art Gallery, the Kenneth A. Longacre, Sr., Advanced Media Lab and the expanded and upgraded Common Grounds Coffeehouse.

“We dedicate a place to remind ourselves that space shapes us,” said Nancy Heisey, 91����Ƶ vice president and undergraduate academic dean. “We dedicate this space to set it apart, to name our intentions for it, to say why it is particular, and why all the care, planning and construction that went into this place were done in a specific way.”

“When we look around this space, we see something different – reused and renewed space, simple space, space for action and vision, space that is like the forms of human expression and creativity that are essential to our full humanity, the expression and creativity that a liberal arts environment is designed to grow, a space where students, faculty and guests will be invited to dig more deeply into the ideas of others, into ourselves, and into our questions and vocations with all the creative gifts God has given us,” Dr. Heisey told the attendees.

The audience joined in a litany led by Andy Dula, chair of the 91����Ƶ board of trustees and Student Government Co-Presidents Michael Spory and Ben Bergey. The litany, written by Jay B. Landis, professor emeritus of English, called on God to bless the facilities with the aim “to fulfill the university mission of preparing its students with academic strength and faithful commitment to Christian discipleship, service and peacemaking.”

The ceremony closed with the singing of No. 118 in the Brethren-Mennonite Hymnal, “Praise God from whom.”

Following the program, 91����Ƶ staff led tours on a rotating basis of the Phase II facilities. Each stop included reflections on how each space will benefit students and the larger community.

Dr. Gehman, 88, professor emerita of art at 91����Ƶ, was present for the ceremonies and reflected on the gallery named in her honor.

“It’s good to see this space used for the arts and to meet former students who are now in leadership worldwide,” Gehman said. She noted that the gallery occupies the same space where she taught physical education classes in the old gymnasium many years ago.

The late Lee Eshleman, for whom the “black box” studio theater is named, is a 1986 art graduate of 91����Ƶ. He was an acting-writer creative partner with Ted Swartz of Harrisonburg as half of the performing duo Ted & Lee for 20 years.

The new advanced media lab, named in memory of the late businessman Kenneth A. Longacre, Sr., of Franconia, Pa., will allow classes to expand from nine to 15 students in each class. The computer pods are set up to encourage collaborative work and enable the critique process.

Kirk L. Shisler, vice president for advancement, said the completion of the $2.5 million project “couldn’t have happened without the strong financial and prayer support of many alumni and friends of the university in the midst of a struggling economy.

“We now have facilities that are as vital and vibrant as the already excellent programs offered in visual arts and communication and theater,” Shisler said. “This is a quantum leap forward for students and the larger community.”

On Saturday, Mar. 26, 2011, facilities that comprise “Phase II” of the $2.5 million University Commons project will be dedicated in ceremonies starting at 1 p.m. in the renovated Mainstage Theater on ground floor of the Commons.

The brief ceremonies will include comments from 91����Ƶ President Loren Swartzendruber, remarks by undergraduate academic dean Nancy Heisey and a litany written by Jay B. Landis, professor emeritus of English.

SGA co-presidents, Benjamin Bergey and Michael Spory, and 91����Ƶ Board Chair, Andy Dula, will participate in the litany.

Following the program, persons will have opportunity to view the Phase II facilities:

• Mainstage Theater
• Lee Eshleman Studio Theater
• Kenneth A. Longacre, Sr. Advanced Media Lab
• enlarged Common Grounds Coffeehouse
• Margaret Martin Gehman Art Gallery

91����Ƶ personnel will lead tours on a rotating basis between 1:45 and 3:30 p.m. Each presentation will last around 15 minutes.

The new or upgraded facilities will serve students and the larger community in significant ways:

• The renovated Main Stage Theater seats 200, nearly 10 percent more than the previous space. Renovations immediately apparent include a more gracious entry, new seating and curtains and better audience lighting and aisle lights. With all that, the intimacy and semi-thrust form of the previous configuration has been retained. New technology includes new stage lighting and sound reinforcement equipment, a high-intensity LCD projector and automated rigging systems for accessing the over-stage equipment. The best part: completely new dressing rooms, adjacent to the stage house, including shower and changing rooms for men and women, 12 makeup stations, laundry facilities, and a “green room” lounge area.
• The relocated Studio Theater, named for the late Lee Eshleman, a 1986 91����Ƶ art graduate, provides the theater community with a flexible space for producing plays in an infinitely variable setting. Called a “black box” because of its neutral color and shape, it is capable of becoming any form of stage with the addition of portable seating risers and stage scenery. Included in the new space are a permanent balcony ready for actors, crew, or even audience members, new stage lights and lighting control system, and an all-over automated lighting grid for ease of access and maximum flexibility. Of particular advantage is the new location’s close access to Common Grounds for intermission or after-show refreshments and conversation.
• The new Margaret Martin Gehman art gallery will provide a beautifully designed and illuminated space for 91����Ƶ students and guest artists to exhibit their work. The 31′ by 21′ gallery is a tribute to the energy andpassion of Dr. Margaret Martin Gehman, professor emeriti of art, who taught and inspired decades of art students at 91����Ƶ.
• The new advanced media Lab, named in memory of the late Kenneth A. Longacre, Sr., will allow classes to expand from nine to 15 students in each class. The computer pods are set up to encourage collaborative work and enable the critique process. The projection system – the old lab didn’t have one – offers high-definition projection for video and near color-accurate images for photography. The open space allows camera and lighting demos to be carried out within the lab along with tables to do alternative processes. Proximity to faculty offices encourages increased student faculty interaction and feedback.
• The Phase II renovation gives Common Grounds Coffeehouse an overall seating area increase, allowing students to have more space to study, meet and socialize. The most noticeable change is a sound/light booth and a stage for performances and events. The stage is made from maple floor removed from the old gymnasium. For the first time, Common Grounds has a window to the outside world, bringing in natural light from the south. Other aesthetic improvements include: exposing the original brick walls, polishing the original concrete, painting the ceiling and updating the light fixtures. Not to be overlooked is the first real climate-control system, giving the space both air conditioning and heat. The student manager’s office was moved to join the space, giving the whole student staff much more opportunity to collaborate and interact on the job.

A presentation of the spring 91����Ƶ Theater production, “The Bus Stop” by Gao Xingjian, will take place 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Main Stage Theater.

Activities will conclude with a concert of original acoustic music from Denay and Friends at 9 p.m. in the Common Grounds Coffeehouse.

“The dedication of the Commons Phase II renovation project marks the fulfillment of the hopes and dreams of many people,” says Kirk L. Shisler, vice president for advancement.

“It is gratifying to see the completion of this project after years of planning and then, more recently, a breakthrough of several large contributions that fueled it to fruition. A strong sense of collaboration among faculty, physical plant and administration also enhanced the project,” Shisler added.

For more information on the day’s events, contact Laura Daily in the advancement division office at laura.daily@emu.edu; phone: 540-432-4203.

The ground-breaking 1983 comedy will be presented 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Mar. 24, 25 and 26, at 8 p.m. Friday, Apr. 1 and at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Apr. 2 in the newly-renovated mainstage theater on ground floor of the University Commons. The play, directed by Heidi Winters Vogel, associate professor of theater, runs approximately 90 minutes without an intermission.

An absurdist play — it is frequently compared to “Waiting for Godot” — with touches of Brecht and even a hint of Chekhov (if only we could get to the city, the characters lament), “The Bus Stop” was attacked by Communist Party officials as “spiritual pollution” when it premiered in Beijing.  Mr.  Gao left China in 1987 — he now lives in Paris — and in 2000 won the Nobel Prize in literature.

The student cast includes: Kindra Amott, Provo, Utah; Molly Boese, Freeman, S.D.; Shane Byler, Walnut Creek, Ohio; Travis Duerkson, Goessel, Kan.; Andrew Hostetter, Harrisonburg; Eric King, Harrisonburg; Morgan Porter, Richmond, Va.; and Erica Wagner, Wilmington, Del.

Reserved tickets are $10 for adults ($12 at the door) and $8 for seniors and non-91����Ƶ students ($10 at the door) and are available through 91����Ƶ’s at 540-432-4582. Group rates are available.

Soon they will benefit from new state-of-the-art digital media lab space, classrooms and galleries, thanks to a recently funded renovation to 91����Ƶ’s University Commons.

Associate professor Steven D. Johnson interacts with students in a digital media lab during class at 91����Ƶ. 91����Ƶ’s visual and communication arts major is one of the most popular programs offered. Students will soon benefit from updated state-of- the-art labs, part of a recently funded renovation of University Commons at 91����Ƶ. Photo by Matt Gillis

91����Ƶ’s board of trustees, alumni and friends have "stepped up" to provide $2.41 million in cash and pledges for Phase II of the University Commons, reports Kirk Shisler, vice president for advancement.

"It’s an amazing show of support in these uncertain economic times," he says.

Renovation highlights

The overall project includes renovation of the former gymnasium, built in 1957, into two upgraded theater performance spaces and classrooms. This includes a new Mainstage Theater as well as the Lee Eshleman Studio Theater, named in honor of the late artist and actor who was a 1986 graduate.

The popular student coffee house, Common Grounds, will also be expanded in the renovation.

More than 40 students were involved in the spring 2010 mainstage theater production of IOLANTHE by Gilbert & Sullivan and directed by Heidi Winters Vogel, associate professor of theater. 91����Ƶ’s theater department attracts students from across the university to participate in its high quality productions. Coupling updated facilities and technology to the energy of students and faculty will enhance learning and artistic possibilities at 91����Ƶ. Photo by Jon Styer

New studio art gallery

A new student art gallery will be named in honor of Margaret Martin Gehman, retired art faculty member.

Gehman taught and at 91����Ƶ from 1944 until her retirement in 1987. She serves regularly as a volunteer on campus and with other local organizations and has been a long-time strong financial supporter of the university.

She was the first recipient of the eponymous "91����Ƶ Philanthropist of the Year" award from the university in 2005.

Digital media labs key to program

"91����Ƶ offers an excellent digital media program taught by faculty who are experts in the field and is one of the few Christian colleges to offer a full photography major," notes , associate professor of visual and communication arts.

"With increased student demand for our programs, these upgraded labs will advance our goal of teaching students to communicate effectively, passionately and ethically in an increasingly diverse society."

The advanced media lab will be named in memory of former 91����Ƶ trustee and long-time supporter, Kenneth A. Longacre.

Theater core to campus life

91����Ƶ’s theater department attracts students from across the university to participate in its high quality productions. Students are regularly recognized at the Kennedy Center/American College Theater Festival for their achievements.

Coupling updated facilities and technology to the energy of students and faculty will enhance learning and artistic possibilities at 91����Ƶ.

"91����Ƶ theater faculty, staff and students have been making amazing art happen in primitive conditions," states Heidi Winters Vogel, theater department chair.

"I am so excited to see what we can do with performance and production spaces that are designed for theater. Watch for it!"

Upcoming theater events in renovated spaces

The first theatrical production in the renovated Main Stage Theater is scheduled for March 2011.

The Lee Eshleman Studio Theater, named in honor of the late artist and actor who was a 1986 graduate, will house key theater events that occur throughout the year like:

• Gonzo Theate, a student-run improv troupe that performs throughout the academic year
• student-directed plays like Anon(ymous)

More info

Renovations began in early May, with completion anticipated in November.

• More about the project
• Phone contact: (540) 432-4200

]]> /now/news/2009/play-of-grief-and-healing-based-on-lockerbie-tragedy/ Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:00:00 +0000 http://www.emu.edu/blog/news/?p=2028 Theater at 91����Ƶ will give seven performances of its fall mainstage production, ‘Women of Lockerbie’ by Deborah Brevoort, throughout Homecoming and Family Weekend Oct. 8-17.

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