Award-winning Theatre MSU announces 2021 season, plans production promoting social change
Contact: Sarah Nicholas
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥斞侵奚墒悠碘檚 Theatre MSU鈥攖he Department of Communication鈥檚 production division that recently garnered a 2021 School of Excellence Award in Higher Education from the Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education鈥攄ebuts its new season this month.
In addition to its four annual mainstage productions, the season includes an additional original production in the lineup with a grant from the Mississippi Arts Council to promote social justice, diversity and inclusivity.
鈥淲e believe fervently in lifting up the voices of underrepresented artists and students,鈥 said Tonya S. Hays, assistant professor of theatre performance who writes professionally as T.S. Hays, about the production currently in the development stage.
On Sept. 29, Theatre MSU marks the beginning of its theatrical season with the Jaclyn Backhaus play 鈥淢en on Boats.鈥
Based on the journals of John Wesley Powell, 鈥淢en on Boats鈥 is the 鈥渢rue(ish) history of an 1869 expedition on which a one-armed captain and a crew of insane, yet loyal volunteers set out to chart the course of the Colorado River.鈥
Presented on the McComas Hall main stage, 鈥淢en on Boats鈥 runs Sept. 29, Sept. 30 and Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. An Oct. 3 matinee begins at 2:30 p.m.
Admission聽is $10, and tickets are available at .
In November, Theatre MSU presents an original play 鈥淏anner: A Sea Turtle Saga鈥濃攑art of the annual Theatre for Young Audiences show鈥攆eaturing Banner, a green聽sea聽turtle, on a musical journey into the depths of ocean. The聽interactive, immersive encounter with marine life is in partnership with the MSU Northern Gulf Institute and was written by MSU鈥檚 Hays.聽
鈥淏anner: A Sea Turtle Saga鈥 will be performed for the public Nov. 14 at 2:30 p.m. The production will be offered exclusively for school audiences Nov. 17-19 at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Planned for spring 2022, Theatre MSU will use its MAC grant to host Master Teacher Barbara Pitts McAdams鈥攁n artist-in-residence鈥攚ho will provide workshops, education and insight for an original production of 鈥淲ho Gets to be an American?鈥
McAdams is a co-author of聽鈥淢oment Work:聽Tectonic Theater Project鈥檚 Process of Devising,鈥 and a company member of the Tectonic Theatre Project.
Funding for the MAC grant is provided by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mississippi Endowment for the Arts at the Community Foundation for Mississippi, and other private sources.
Also in 2022, Theatre MSU will present 鈥淎ll American Boys鈥 in February and 鈥淥nce on this Island鈥 in April. For more, visit 聽. 聽
Part of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of Communication is available online at .
Follow Theatre MSU on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @TheatreMSU.
MSU is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at聽.