By MEGAN MAHARRY, Staff Reporter
The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Theater Program has featured many productions for students’ entertainment on campus. There is also much behind the scenes work and effort put into readying these productions.
Kimberly Weast is the Chair of the Fine Arts Department and Professor of Theater. She is also the Director of the Northwestern Oklahoma Concert Series. Along with directing NWOSU’s theater productions, she also teaches many theater courses, such as acting classes and se design classes.
The theater program produces two productions a semester. Weast said the past productions have ranged from comedies to dramas to and musicals. She said her favorite kind of production is the kind that make an audience think. She said the next two productions will be in February and April of the spring semester.
During the eight weeks in preparation before a production, Weast said the cast and crew spend nearly 130 hours total of rehearsal time. The cast members spend these 130 hours practicing their lines and stage presence, and the set is also being built during this time.
Weast said her favorite part of teaching at NWOSU is empowering her students. She said she loves seeing everything her students have learned to do.
“I love seeing the lightbulbs go off,” Weast said.
Weast said she loves directing because of the process of building a production. She said she likes to start from nothing, and then see the story develop and build from zero.
Mickey Jordan and Tori Hurley are speech theater majors at NWOSU. They will be directing their own One Act plays in Herod Hall on Feb. 16, 17 and 18.
Mickey Jordan will be directing the play “The Mice have been Drinking Again”, which is a comedy production. Jordan said it is his first time directing a play. He said his favorite part of directing is the creative process.
“You get to create everything,” Jordan said.
Tori Hurley is also directing a play for the first time. Hurley said the play “Goodbye to the Clown” is a dark comedy. Hurley said directing this play has been a great experience.
“I love seeing everything imagine on paper come to life,” Hurley said.
Crosby Dunbar is a freshman speech theater major at NWOSU. Dunbar has always loved musicals, and it was her love for musicals that got her into theater. Her first production at NWOSU was last fall in the play “Rehearsal for Murder”. Dunbar said the experience was awesome. Her favorite part of the production the adrenaline rush she felt while on stage.
“I love theater here at NWOSU because there are opportunities both on and off the stage,” Dunbar said.