Fresh Face Revue 2020 Edition

Fall has finally arrived, and that can only mean one thing: It is time for the St. Ambrose University Theatre Department's Fresh Face Revue.

The Fresh Face Revue is an annual showcase put on by the SAU Theatre Department that is designed specifically to showcase the work of first-year students. Once again, this year the event was organized by two of the officers of the Theatre Appreciation Club (TAC), seniors Luke Peterson and Ellie Larson.

The Revue allows first-year and transfer students the opportunity to take the stage and present their talents for the SAU theatre faculty, their family members, as well as their new peers. This year, the Fresh Face Revue had five fantastic first-year performers. They were Beckett Cornwell, Cora Schultz, Emily Schultz, Elena Vallejo, and Jayden Lebron.

While all of the first-year students were eager to participate, Vallejo was particularly excited to be on stage again after an unexpected break due to the pandemic.

"It was really great to get to be in the rehearsal process again," Vallejo said. "It is something that I have missed a lot during these times."

In a normal school year, the Fresh Face Revue would be performed on the Allaert Mainstage inside the Galvin Fine Arts Center. However, due to COVID-19 protocols, the live performance had to take a raincheck. Instead, the Theatre Department opted for a creative alternative.

"The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed the way we offer the Fresh Face Revue this year," said Peterson. "All of their performances were pre-recorded and then edited together in a video to be released on YouTube in order to ensure the safety of both audience members and performers."

While everyone acknowledged the situation was not ideal, adaptability in the arts is essential, and the final product turned out great. However, the event would not have been possible without the recording and editing skills of Don "Duke" Schneider '76 and SAU senior Haley Rhoads of the Communications Department.

Overall, the department was pleased to see everyone's talents on full display. If you, too, would like to watch this year's first-year class shine in the Fresh Face Revue, see the video below!