Concordia Theatre Presents Historical Drama, Murder Mystery and More in Spring Semester

by Benjamin Middendorf

Concordia students will have many opportunities to experience theater next semester, with a murder mystery, historical drama, student One-Acts and IMPROVables performances.

Postbaccalaureate and music education major Kaleb Busche will direct The Women of Lockerbie by Deborah Brevoort from Feb. 24-26.

The play is based on the historical bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988 by a Syrian terrorist group, which killed 270 people after the plane took off from Lockerbie, Scotland. The play involves a group of fictional women from Lockerbie who are trying to obtain the clothing of the victims to wash and return to their families.

“I like true stories, and it’s based off a true story,” Busche said. “There’s so much emotion and depth in it, and a really, really good story that I think a lot of people will enjoy. It’s also a drama, but completely different from Marat/Sade. For my show, I’m focusing more on love and loss.”

“I’m trying to be as real as possible, so that can be hard at times, because budget and stuff,” Busche said. “But there’s going to be a really awesome installation piece before you go into the show, so it’ll be like you’re going into an airport.”

The production also hopes to include an artificial stream running through the set.

Director of Theatre Bryan Moore will be directing Murder’s in the Heir by Billy St. John, a murder mystery with some comedy elements. The performance will take place at the Olde Glory Theatre, on March 30-31 and April 1.

“Olde Glory is a nice space because it has that table and chairs set-up,” Moore said. “So it gives a different kind of atmosphere that a traditional theatre space doesn’t have.”

Olde Glory’s layout will allow for a dessert theater experience.  Several desserts will be available for audience members to choose from before the show.

The audience will also get to change the entire plot of the play.

“Basically, the audience will get a chance to choose who the murderer is,” Moore said. “At intermission, you’ll have a lot of information, and you’ll get to vote (for) who you think it is. The ending is based on the results of that vote.”

The following week, on April 6-8, the Concordia theater department will hold its One-Act Festival.

“The directors of the One-Acts are students in a class called Play Production,” Moore said. “They will select their own show and audition their cast in February, go through about six to seven weeks of rehearsal time, and then produce the show.”

The plays usually run from 10-30 minutes long, and range from comedic pieces to more serious dramas, with around four to six shows making up the Festival each year.

Concordia’s IMPROVables group will also be performing throughout the Spring semester, after a final fall show on Dec. 10. Their main event will be the 24-hour IMPROVathon beginning on February 17. They will also perform during the Concordia Invitational Tournament in late January, and will perform shows at Olde Glory on March 14 and April 18.