By Bailey Farmer | Howard Payne University Theater Department held its annual Evening of Theater last Friday and Saturday, Oct 22 and 23. Evening of Theater is a showcase where Theater majors, minors, and students who are just interested in performing, get the chance to bring their dream roles to action.
First the students must prepare the performance, and then go through an audition, and then a few rehearsals before the weekend of Evening of Theater. Each student works about 5-6 hours a week prepping for their big performance, but that does not include the countless hours they spend on editing film, casting roles, rehearsing, among other responsibilities.
“It really is all the students. I give them a few pointers and help them out here and there, but it is entirely the students. They work their vision, their dreams into the performance,” said Chair of the Department of Theater, Dr. Ewen.
Monologues, short films, choreography, stage combat, and anything the students want to perform or showcase is included into Evening of Theater. There were 16 total acts performed over the weekend.
Although not every student is able to perform, others roles help with crews, costumes, rehearsals, and other post production events.
A fan favorite over the weekend was a performance by Krysta Bunch. She performed a parody of the song “Slipping Through My Fingers” by the well known group, ABBA, and even had a guest star perform with her, HPU President Dr. Cory Hines.
“I loved performing and writing this parody! It felt great knowing I had a somewhat original idea that brought laughter to those in the audience and those onstage,” said Bunch.
The HPU Theater Department will be working the Haunted Jail over Halloween weekend, October 29 and 30, with the Brown County Museum of History.