Theatre enters modern era

Photo by Kaitlin Trujillo
Theatre students and faculty joined for a dinner on Aug. 30.

Angelo State’s theatre program plans to provide a new modern twist of including the audience and their personal interests into their plays’ performances this semester.

Currently the theater’s technical crew is in the midst of developing hashtags that trend during play performances. Audience members and the public alike will be encouraged to use those trending for social media searches as well as while posting about the play and cast members. Live streaming on Facebook and screens at the performances will direct audiences to check Facebook and Twitter for updates.

“We are going to involve live feeds (on Facebook) and polls on Twitter,” Arianna Gonzalez, sophomore, said. “We are involving really cool stuff that is going to get the audience involved in the show. I think it’s going to be really interesting for people to see how we incorporate theatre with the real world.”

Cast members ast and producers work tediously each semester to select new plays and new ideas to bring to ASU. This semester will include performances of William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” and Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women.”

 “We are taking Julius Caesar into a very modern era,” Gonzalez said. “I think it is going to be very cool for people of our era to come out and watch because we are going to involve cell phones and social media.”

“The Julius Caesar play was chosen, because this is an election year,” Callie Stenson, senior, said. “The basis of the story is about Caesar taking power, his election, and just politics in general.  What we are doing is tying it to this year’s election.”

Sound effects team are working on creating a Twitter and Facebook account that will be tied into the play in October to entertain and include the audience during the performance.

“We are bringing a whole new world to theatre,” Callie Stenson, senior, said. “People our age don’t enjoy coming to a play and just watching a show.  They find it boring. This way we are asking them to open their minds by using the things that consume their lives.” 

Auditions for “Julius Caesar” began on Wednesday, Aug 31 but will continue. All students are welcome to audition for plays, whether it is as a cast member or part of the technical crew.

“Julius Caesar” will be performed on Oct. 14-16 and 21-22 in the ASU Auditorium. “Little Women” will run Dec 1-4 and 8-10 in the ASU Modular Theatre-Dinner Theatre.

 Admission to the performances is free for ASU students, $4 for non ASU students and $9 for the public.