HOUGHTON - Rushing around backstage at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts at Michigan Technological University Saturday, students quickly made adjustments to the set design, changed into costumes and joked among one another as if they were old friends.
As soon as the lights went down, however, it was all business.
Students in the production of "The Bald Soprano/The Lesson" returned to Michigan Tech this past weekend to prepare and put on one more show of their production before they hit the road to Saginaw.
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Stacey Kukkonen/Daily Mining Gazette
Actors involved in the student production of “The Bald Soprano/The Lesson” rehearse a scene Saturday in the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts at Michigan Technological University. The production was performed for the community Saturday night and will be packed up and taken on the road Tuesday to Saginaw to the Region III Festival as part of the Kennedy Center/America College Theatre Festival.
The Tech Theatre Company performed the Eugene Ionesco absurdist plays at Michigan Tech in front of an audience Saturday night before they plan to leave Tuesday for the Region III Festival in Saginaw on Friday as part of the Kennedy Center/America College Theatre Festival.
Director Patricia Helsel said the show was a trial run for the students, who all needed to learn how to quickly set up and tear down the stage set and lights for the festival.
"Our show is one of seven shows at this festival," she said. "One of them may be held over to perform at the Kennedy Center in April."
The festival is a way for universities across the country to share talent and creativity, she said.
At the festival, there's always a performance going on and workshops for acting and technology as well as competitions are held.
"It's never a dull moment," Helsel said. "There's never a moment to rest at the festival."
Michigan Tech dominates the sound design aspect of the festival, Helsel said, because it's a technology-oriented school.
"There aren't many programs that have sound design and it's a relatively new area," she said.
Stacey Kukkonen can be reached at skukkonen@mininggazette.com.