MSU theater welcomes Mavs to ‘A Lovely Night’

Fall is upon us, and when the weather gets crisp enough to stay indoors, Minnesota State’s Theater Department warmly welcomes you to attend one of its many productions this semester. 

The Theater Department recently announced the theme of its 2024-2025 season: A Lovely Night. 

“Our theme is A Lovely Night, a line from Rogers and Hammerstein’s ‘Cinderella,’ a show we are producing in April. We’re still growing our numbers back from the age of COVID. So, we are getting folks excited for a lovely night at the theater,” Performing Arts chairperson Corrie Eggimann said. 

This fall, you can see “Cabret” and “Lend Me A Soprano” on the main stage. In the studio, productions of “Constellations” and “Escaped Alone” will be performed. These shows give the audience a variation of seduction, quirkiness, and connectedness to their experience at the theater. 

Every year, the Department chooses a variety of shows that are entirely different from one another but still fit well with the selected theme. 

“We always try to do a bit of variety, so if you compare ‘Cabaret’ and ‘Cinderella,’ those can’t be any more different,” said Eggimann. “‘Lend Me A Soprano’ is going to be a fun and light show in the fall, but ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ will be a bit heavier show in the spring.” 

Planning the theme and shows for each upcoming season typically begins at the first of the year in January. It involves many factors, including the interests of the students, faculty and patrons. 

“There is a balance: what faculty are interested in working on, what students will find value and interest in, and then also what patrons will be excited to see,” said Eggimann. 

The department is ecstatic about the shows that will be produced this season, as new talented faces will join the MSU theater family.

“The most exciting thing about our program is that we constantly have new students, new talent. We have a really big incoming class, both theater and dance majors, so we’re excited to have the participation of brand new faces,” said Eggimann. “One fun thing about ‘Cabret’ is that it is a pretty dance-heavy show, and with so many incoming dance students, I’m hopeful we get lots of engagement from those students.” 

Starting Sept. 3, tickets for the fall semester performances will be available at the box office from 4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Beginning Sept. 5, tickets will be available anytime at mnsueventtickets.universitytickets.com. Students can purchase a ticket for any performance with a valid student ID for $5. 

Auditions for the fall theater seasons were completed Aug.26. But it’s never too late to audition for the spring shows, which will start later in the fall semester and early in the spring semester. 

For more information regarding the 2024-2025 theater season, visit hss.mnsu.edu.

Photo Caption: Every year, the Theater Department chooses a variety of shows that are entirely different from one another but still fit well with the selected theme. (Courtesy Corrie Eggimann)

Write to Tina Dolan at dolatinaj@gmail.com