ARKADELPHIA -- Ouachita Baptist University's Department of Theatre Arts will present two student-led productions for the department's annual Muse Project, including "The Things That Bind Us" and "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind: 30 Plays in 60 Minutes."
Performances will be held in Ouachita's Verser Theatre today and Saturday and on Monday at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 each and can be purchased through Ouachita's Box Office.
The Muse Project allows students majoring in theater, musical theater or theater education to think deeply and bring their inspiration to life in an original performance. Students submit theatrical experiences or shows they would like to produce, and while usually one proposal is accepted each year, this year's Muse Project will include two shows, a news release said.
"The growth in the students who lead these experiences is always impressive, and the nature of the Muse Project creates exciting possibilities in our season each year ... such as aerial work, improvisation, dance theater, originals works and short small plays with fewer characters that focus on more actor development," said Eric Phillips, professor of theater arts at Ouachita. "The Muse Project has become a rich contributor to our theatrical season."
"The Muse Project is an opportunity for students to stretch themselves and for the university to showcase student work as part of the main stage season," said Amy Lytle, the senior music and theater arts double major from Plano, Texas, who is directing "The Things That Bind Us."
"The Things That Bind Us" follows a group of friends who attempt to make amends after the loss of one of their own. Assistant student director Lauren Terry, a senior musical theater major from Evansville, Ind., said she hopes the show "will challenge others to connect and care more about the stories, lives and experiences of everyday people."
"Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind" is an energetic, neo-futuristic piece where audience members will see 30 shows in 60 minutes. NEO-futuristic theater depends on crowd involvement and actor improvisation, meaning the shows performed will vary night to night, and each audience will have a different experience.
"I have the honor of being the first director to utilize the Muse slot (for this type of performance), in terms of I am not creating the work itself. I am taking the work and creating it for this environment," said Scotty Scott, senior musical theater major from Russellville and student director of "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind."
Tickets are $8 each and may be purchased at the Jones Performing Arts Center Box Office weekdays from 1-5 p.m. or by calling 870-245-5555. Tickets also may be purchased by visiting http://www.obu.edu/boxoffice. Current students may receive one free ticket from the box office with their student ID.
Entertainment on 02/15/2019