Astute students may have noticed that the Covenant College Theater Department has not produced many pieces of theater over the fall of 2020 and into this spring. However, this is not from a lack of activity. While the nature of pandemic restrictions has made it difficult (nigh impossible) to put on live theater for in-house audiences, the theater department has been creatively adapting behind the scenes and will soon be unveiling the results of their labor.
The first project to premiere this semester was a radio theater adaptation of O. Henry’s short story “The Gift of the Magi.” Written and directed by Sarah Bussard ’24, the radio play features the vocal talents of Jem Davenport ’22, Ray Lantrip ’24, Kara Start ’23, and Isabelle Torokwa ’24.
“With this production, my desire was for the audience to be able to focus in on the words themselves--to be able to find a beautiful classic about the penury and generosity of a young couple during Christmas time,” Bussard said.
With sound design by Alex Blackburn ’22 and stage management by Anya Klumpenhower ’23, the show retells the classic tale in a creative medium. The show is available on the Covenant College Theater Department’s Facebook and Instagram pages and on Covenant’s website.
Two more long-awaited projects are slated to premiere on March 27. The first has been in various stages of production for nearly two years. “The Sound of Music” was originally scheduled to open on March 27, 2020, featuring a cast and crew of over 100 Covenant students, faculty, alumni and community members. Unfortunately, the campus shutdown a mere two weeks before opening night rendered this impossible, and director and professor Claire Slavovsky had to rethink how such a massive show could go on during pandemic times.
The result is “Our Unfinished Music,” a behind-the-scenes approach to what the musical might have looked like, including interviews with cast and crew, rehearsal footage, and insights from the creative team. For anyone curious about the work, love, and fun put in such an enormous project, you won’t want to miss this celebration of theater and community.
The second project set for March 27 is “Everyman,” a modern adaptation of a medieval morality play directed by theater professor Camille Hallstrom. The play was cast, rehearsed and filmed last semester, and has now been edited so that it is ready for audiences. Featuring the acting talents of Lantrip, Bussard, Caroline Morris ’22, Jon Schimpf ’23, and many others, the play tells the story of a man wrestling with his own mortality and the eternal consequences of his actions. Stay tuned for information on when and how to attend the premiere!
A student-directed musical is also currently in rehearsals. Last spring, Klumpenhower wrote a Shakespearian take on the 2018 West End musical “Six,” highlighting six of Shakespeare’s tragic heroines telling their stories. In the style of the source material, “Six Tragedies” has a pop concert flair and contains plenty of deep-cut Shakespearean references. Klumpenhower enjoys the flexibility of directing a parody. She said, “It's a uniquely collaborative effort where the actors have almost as much influence on how their character develops as I do. This cast is amazingly hard-working and talented in unique ways, and my favorite thing about this show is the way it gives everyone a moment in the spotlight.”
Hope Merrill ’21, currently portraying Cordelia, has been enjoying the rehearsal process, stating that “the most fun part of ‘Six’ has been working with the cast, getting to encourage each other and laugh together through everything.” While a release date for “Six Tragedies” has not yet been set, the show will be filmed in early April.
But wait, there’s more: theater regulars Schimpf and Lantrip are cooking up a one-man show, set to premiere before the semester is out. Other unique and pandemic-friendly shows are also being considered, though at this point it is difficult to know whether they will come to fruition this semester or further down the road.
While the pandemic makes live theater difficult during this time, the Theater Department has shifted and grown to continue making art that showcases the many talents of Covenant students. Professors and students alike are hopeful that in the not-too-distant future, performances will be able to resume with the elements that make theater special: the shared experience of live performers and live audiences.