Godspell debuts at USF next week, follows excitement of theatre honors

April 26, 2017

The University of Sioux Falls’ Theatre Department debuts its spring production, Godspell, next week, and performances run May 3-7 at the Jeschke Fine Arts Center on campus.                           

The 2012 revival of the hit Broadway play Godspell tells the story of Jesus Christ teaching his disciples a collection of parables by using a variety of games, storytelling techniques and a hefty dose of comedic timing.  

Excitement and momentum surrounds the spring production after the department recently added another feather to its cap.

Out of hundreds of participants in the seven-state region, sixteen talented actors and technicians from USF were selected and honored to participate in the 2016 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) in Des Moines, Iowa, in January. 

“I’m thrilled with our students’ work and I was glad to take such a large group of talented and driven students to the festival,” said Joe Obermueller, Director of Theatre at USF. 

The festival celebrates the work that theatre artists are producing in colleges and universities across the country, and students are inspired and equipped to take their work to a deeper level. USF theatre students competed for scholarships, participated in a musical theatre intensive and stage-crew showdown, attended workshops, auditioned for professional companies and much more at this year’s festival. 

USF students earned selection and honors at the festival including:

• Costume Showcase: Much Ado About Nothing. Out of 226 entrees, USF was one of only 10 in the seven-state region to be selected.
• Musical Theatre Cabaret: USF Theatre students Kendall Ward ‘17 and Emily Magera ‘20 were selected to perform. Out of 120 students who auditioned for the musical theatre intensive only 36 singers and dancers were selected.
• Professional Auditions: Kendall Ward ’18 and Anthony Nelson ’20 were invited to attend the Stella Adler Art of Acting Studio in Los Angeles, C.A., this summer.  In addition, Madison Rimmer ‘19 was accepted into the Open Jar Institute and will spend a week in New York City this summer.

Rebecca Onnen ‘19, head costumer for Much Ado, and Kendra Dexter, costume designer, know firsthand how costumes reinforce the mood and style of the production.

“Shakespeare is as diverse and colorful as he is brilliant. The shapes, colors and textures selected affect how the audience perceives each character, leaving an immediate and lasting visual statement,” Onnen said.

In addition to these honors, out of over 200 entrees, USF Theatre was nominated and selected as one of 10 to perform in the Invited Scenes Showcase for their work in I Never Saw Another Butterfly at the KCACTF in 2016. Obermueller introduced the play in front of an audience of 900. 

Sioux Falls will host the festival in 2019 and 2020.

For Godspell tickets, visit: www.usiouxfalls.edu/tickets.