By Ashlyn Scearce- Assistant News Editor
Although the University of Lynchburg has discontinued theatre as a major and minor for incoming students, current theatre students remain dedicated and showcase their passion for the performing arts.
Flyer for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way
On Friday, November 8, and Saturday, November 11, the University of Lynchburg Theatre Department held open auditions for its upcoming play, “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way.” The auditions were for various roles involving singing, acting, and dancing. Members of Dance Works, the University’s dance team, were also invited to audition for the dance roles.
“A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum” is a Roman comedy about a slave who tries to win his freedom from his master by helping him get the courtesan he has fallen in love with.
Arilyn Webster, a theatre student who auditioned, said, “It is one of those plays with a lot of farce-style comedy, and it’s very silly.”
Students who have previously majored in theatre are allowed to finish their degrees, and they try to get as many audience members as possible to watch.
Destin Stringer, the production’s stage manager, said, “We still have friends and family of the actors coming to watch the shows. However, we did have a smaller turnout for auditions compared to previous years, so the same might be true for the audience.”
Students have been asked to share information about upcoming performances on social media platforms to spread the word about the University of Lynchburg’s upcoming productions.
Sky Craft, another theatre student, added, “We are really encouraging everyone from the community to come and support the arts as much as possible at the school, because theatre cannot happen without an audience; it is so important and honestly just means so much for us to have someone to perform for. We do a lot of social media outreach as well as campus networking”.
Theatre students feel that the atmosphere is different now that the University of Lynchburg has removed their major. However, this has allowed them to form stronger bonds with each other and create a new sense of community.
Sky Craft explained, “The department is definitely different; there’s a sense of togetherness a lot of the theatre people have felt with each other, like banding together in tough times. There’s also this kind of unease and uncertainty because we have no clue what happens next.”
If you are interested in theatre and want to come to support the actors, visit @lynchburg.theatre on Instagram or https://www.lynchburg.edu/academics/majors-and-minors/theatre/2024-25-theatre-season/
