Marah Melvin | ESU Bulletin

Thespians pumped to perform ‘throwback’ classic

Written by Steve Edwards
Thursday, 04 October 2012 16:30
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Marah Melvin, senior theater major, Aubrey Near, junior theater major, and Trinity Standridge, senior theater major rehearse for the homecoming musical Sunday night in Beach Hall. The musical this year is “Guys and Dolls.”
Yiqing Fu/The Bulletin

The theater department will present its 40th Homecoming Scholarship Musical, a production of Manhattan native Damon Runyon’s “Guys and Dolls,” Oct. 11-14. This year’s show is the third homecoming production of “Guys and Dolls” – the first was in 1978 and the second was in 1994.

“The process in deciding the homecoming musical involves looking at our production history and what our students can do,” said Jim Bartruff, director and professor of communication and theatre. “We felt like this was the best choice for this slot.”

Marah Melvin, senior theater major who plays Miss Adelaide, said the previous productions of the show both had good turnouts.

“I like the fact that we are revisiting a well-known American musical that’s modern enough for most people to enjoy,” Melvin said. “It’s a throwback that a lot of people know.”

Bartruff said they convinced President Michael Shonrock to play a brief role in the production. Shonrock appears in a scene where Nathan Detroit, played by senior theater major and Bulletin distribution manager Noah Mefford, has a phone conversation about the illegal craps game he trying to put together – and keep it a secret from Lt. Brannigan, played by senior theater major Michael Stauffer.

“It’s really cool that he’s (Shonrock) part of it, and it’s good to get support of the faculty, even if they’re not part of the department,” said Mike Koetkemeyer, senior theater major and stage manager.

The homecoming casino night theme is tied to the gambling-related themes in “Guys and Dolls,” said Nancy Pontius, professor of theater and set designer.

Cast members said they have been looking forward the opportunity to perform the American classic since it was announced by theater department last spring.

“I actually wasn’t completely familiar with this particular musical, except a few songs,” said Jamarious Wicker, junior theater major who plays Raoul, “but I really got into it. It just got into my system and really grew on me quickly.”

Koetkemeyer said that he couldn’t do his job without the support of the cast and crew and that he appreciates their focus and respect for each other.

“Rehearsals have flowed together so well,” Wicker said. “There’s been no drama or anxiety. We have a week before dress rehearsals start and you can already see the cast is really colorful and has a lot of chemistry. This is going to be a really great show.”

Melvin said it’s been a great experience so far, and she can’t wait to share it with the audience.

“Guys and Dolls” will open at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11 in Albert Taylor Hall. There will also be showings at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 and 13, and a matinee at 2 p.m. Oct. 14.

Bartruff’s dance creation showcases new and old

Written by Bulletin Staff
Friday, 27 April 2012 08:34
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Jade Sparks, junior communications major, and Marah Melvin, junior theatre major, run through a rehearsal for the annual spring dance show “The Eleven O’ Clock Club”. The show will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Karl C. Bruder Theatre. Lingzi Su/The Bulletin

Conceived and directed by Lindy Bartruff, adjunct professor of dance, “The Eleven O’ Clock Club” is a mix of old school and modern day musical pieces combined into one dance show.

The show tells the story of a club created by a group of “hoofers” in the silent film era who form a retreat to help them with their voices. Fast forward to modern times, and the great grandson of one of the original members has recreated the club by sending out applications to nine performers who come to the retreat to find their voices as well.

“I wanted to bring classic and current musicals to the ESU audience that it wouldn’t otherwise be aware of,” Bartruff said. “I liked the idea of the ‘11 O’ Clock’ number, which is the most dramatic number in a show.”

“The Eleven O’ Clock Club” features musical numbers from a variety of sources including “Footloose,” “Memphis” and even “American Idiot” by Green Day.

Bartruff said the show presented a unique challenge because it is a “book show,” meaning that along with having musical numbers and dances, the show also has a script. Students performing in the show said that it presented both challenges and rewards.

“A lot of actors get inward sometimes on stage, and this dancing definitely helps you go out…it definitely helps you connect to the audience too,” said Andrew Walker, junior theater major.

Walker said the most challenging aspect of the show is the “American Idiot” number, but he also said that it’s his favorite song in the show.

Casey McCabe, senior theater major, is the stage manager for “The Eleven O’ Clock Show” and said he had his own unique set of rewards and challenges.

“This is my first show doing technical stuff – I’ve always just acted,” McCabe said. “So sitting on the other side of the table and watching the other people start off not knowing what’s going and then building into their songs is really cool.”

McCabe said the challenges he’s faced have been mostly organizational, such as making sure people stay on task and keeping track of important supplies and papers. He also said that his favorite numbers are “Underground” from “Memphis” and “American Idiot.”

Although McCabe is a graduating senior, this will not be his last show, as he is doing summer theater.

“I’ve done shows before, but I’ve never done a dance musical before so this is the first time I’ve ever done anything that takes this much energy,” said Rachel Head, freshman biology major.

“The Eleven O’ Clock Club” will premiere at 7:30 p.m. this Friday in Bruder Theater in King Hall and is for one night only. Bartruff said that the show is free and seats will be first come first serve.

Luke Bohannon

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Let’s do the time warp

Written by Lauren Walbridge
Friday, 30 October 2009 11:56
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Roy Michael Johnson, senior theater major, emerges from the fog in Albert Taylor Hall dressed in a black leather bustier, fishnets and 6-inch heels. In full make up, he struts across the stage and sings, “I’m just a sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania!”

Johnson plays the role of Dr. Frank N Furter for this year’s Homecoming Scholarship Musical, Richard O’Brien’s “Rocky Horror Show.”

“I like everything about it,” Johnson said. “It’s a show that I’m a big fan of. I’ve watched the movie since I was in middle school every year.”

“The Rocky Horror Show” started in London in the 1970s and grew to become a cult phenomenon with its film version, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” in the U.S. Jim Bartruff, theater director and professor, said it developed out of an anti-establishment, free love environment. The show spoofs science fiction movies of the 1960s.

“It’s one of those shows that our students say ‘let’s do the Rocky Horror Show’ and there was always a bit of reluctance to do it because of the subject matter,” Bartuff said.

Bartruff said he and a planning committee looked at the material and realized that it is not as startling as it might have been 40 years ago when the show began. He said they decided on doing the show because Homecoming fell on Halloween and it allows audience members to dress up and get involved.

During midnight showings of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” audience members shout at the movie screen and throw food items. Bartruff said that because ESU’s performance is a theater production, liquids and food will be confiscated at the door. Prop kits will be available for $5 and the proceeds will go to the music and theatre departments.

Marah Melvin, freshman elementary education major, said she and the other actors in the show are excited to see the crowd get involved.

“We encourage it, we hope people dress up, we hope people shout things, you know,” Melvin said. “We just feed off that and the energy, so we would love it if they do it.”

Performances of the Rocky Horror Show are Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 30 at 12 a.m., Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at the ESU Box Office in the Memorial Union or by calling 620-341-6378.

Lauren Walbridge/The Bulletin