Emporia State theater premiered the first showing of Brian Friel’s play, “Dancing at Lughnasa,” last night in the Karl C. Bruder Theatre in King Hall.
“Dancing at Lughnasa” is a memory play as seen through the eyes of a 7-year-old boy, Michael Evans, played by Noah Mefford, senior theater major and distribution manager for The Bulletin. The play is set during the Festival of Lughnasa outside of the fictional Irish town of Ballybeg in August 1936.
Evans recounts a summer he spent with his mother and four aunts, the Mundy sisters, and the first time he meets his uncle, who has been in Uganda for the last 25 years, and his father, Gerry Evans.
“My favorite part is seeing everything coming together,” said Brandon Jensen, sophomore theater major, who plays Father Jack, a missionary. “Seeing the set and all the lights come together in rehearsal, it’s really beautiful.”
The cast and crew for the show had to attend rehearsals even when severe winter weather blew through Kansas and rehearsal time was already cut short, but Jensen said rehearsals were an enjoyable process.
“It’s such a short rehearsal time,” said Miranda Nation, freshman theater major, who plays Rose Mundy. “We had less time to rehearse this show, but I feel like it really (came) together well.”
Mike Koetkemeyer, senior theater major and sound technician, said the rehearsal process was “a lot of fun.”
“The rehearsal process was really fun,” said Erin Mullane, senior theater major, who plays Agnes Mundy. “Sometimes, there were really long nights of rehearsal, but it was still a really fun process. I just really enjoy working with this group, and I love theater.”
“Dancing at Lughnasa” will run through March 2, beginning at 7:30 p.m. each night in the Bruder Theater. Tickets can be reserved by calling the Bruder Theater box office at 341-6378, or they can be purchased at the door.
