Avery Cheeseman, arts & culture editor

This year, Augsburg University theater department will be putting on three different spectacular shows. These shows were discussed at the Augsburg season theater kick-off event during the first week of school. All three of the exciting new shows featured are deeply tied to science fiction and fantasy. Augsburg’s theater department is focused on allowing students and community members alike to escape from their everyday lives into exciting new worlds. 

The first of the new shows this season that will be taking place is the “Annual: Perennial.” The show is co-directed by Jay Eisenberg and Madeleine Rowe. This production is supposed to be an amalgamation of weird and wacky theater. The production will allow students to work on character creation, as well as learn a clowning technique. The show is looking to tell the story of farmer performers who share the mysteries and myths of their farm-related drama.

The next production is “Static.” This show was written by Augsburg student Lucía Salazar-Davidson and Kyle Hayes, and is set to be directed by Salazar-Davidson. This tragic comedy focuses on coming to terms with one’s queerness and self-identity within situations that can be considered irredeemably awful and detrimental. The production follows two siblings from rural South Dakota a year after the mysterious disappearance of their parents. This student-written, directed and produced show is already stirring up quite a bit of excitement in the theater department among actors and tech alike. Lakota McConnell, an actor in the department, shared why he was personally excited for the production. “My homie Lucia is in charge of it, and […] I’m sure it’ll be an absolutely fantastic original work of art.”

The final show we have for this season is the musical “Little Shop of Horrors,” set to be directed by Luverne Seifert. Students in and out of the department have already begun discussing audition songs, dream casts and the like. This show is going to be a magnificent blend of horror, comedy, and a little bit of drama. “Little Shop of Horrors” follows Seymour Krelborn, a Skid Row floral clerk, as he discovers a new type of plant that needs a lot more than just some water and sunlight to survive…

All Augsburg shows are open to people of any acting experience or lack thereof. The theater department is looking for people both on and off stage to make these productions possible, so anyone is welcome to be a part of this school year’s theater season. Beyond that, if you are at all interested in science fiction or fantasy or just need a break from reality, Augsburg’s theater season is something you should definitely check out! 

“Annual: Perennial” will be performed on Nov. 13-15, 19-22 and 23, “Static” will be performed on Feb. 5-8 and “Little Shop of Horrors” will be performed on April 16-18, 22-25 and 26. Keep a lookout for more information to come on these peculiar productions!