Another show has come and gone and the actors and designers are again filled with mild relief and post-show depression.
We are comforted by the fact that here at SAU there is never a lot of time to mourn a show, because we have already started preparing for the next! If you had the pleasure of seeing Picasso at the Lapin Agile, we hope you had an enjoyable evening in the theatre. The show performed October 6-8 on the Allaert stage in the Galvin Fine Arts Center.
Directed by Dr. Corinne Johnson, Picasso featured both students and guest artists. We had the privilege of having a respondent from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, J.D. Adamson, come to see the Saturday performance of the show. He chose two students to compete in the Irene Ryan Acting competition at the Region Five festival this January. Seniors Megan Clarke and Brian Leibforth were chosen for their respective roles as Schmendiman and Einstein.
The show seemed well-received, with many appreciating the clever humor and wit of Picasso, Einstein, and their gang of quirky but lovable friends. Others enjoyed the exciting effects, such as the bar disappearing, the use of a beautiful star-drop, and the portrait behind the bar magically changing to Picasso's famous Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, which was re-created by senior Hannah Donovan, who also stage-managed the show.
Our guest artists were so fantastic to work with and taught us a lot about what it means to be a theatre professional.
Senior Kayla Lansing
"To perform in this show was an absolute blast," exclaimed senior Kayla Lansing who played the Countess. "Our guest artists were so fantastic to work with and taught us a lot about what it means to be a theatre professional. The rehearsal process was a lot of work, but we all had fun, so it never bogged us down."
Each night before a show, a member of the cast was chosen to run group warm-ups to help build a sense of community and professional preparedness. Many first-year students, such as Adria Hogan who played Suzanne, or Ellie Larson who played the Female Admirer, got their first taste of what performing with the SAU Theatre Department was like.
With its witty comedy and many poignant moments, Picasso at the Lapin Agile proved that concepts such as "Who am I?" "What will the future hold?" and "What can I do to change the world?" are still relevant today. Although the play may have left the audience with more questions than answers, there is no doubt that those who attended enjoyed a fun and challenging night in the theatre.
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