USI Theatre debuts summer theatre production

University of Southern Indiana Theatre is proud to present its inaugural summer theatre production playfully named, [title of show].  

“Since the closing of New Harmony Theatre in 2019, we have discussed how we can provide additional opportunities for our theatre students in the summer months,” said Paul Weimer, Chair of the Philip Hagemann Performing Arts Department. “This spring, we realized that by starting on a small scale, we could gauge the interest of our students and of the Evansville community in supporting a summer production. If we can attract an audience in the summer, without the student audience on campus we enjoy during the year, we can think about slowly growing our summer offerings.” 

The production, directed by Dr. Joshua Robinson, Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre, will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, June 26-28, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 29, in the Mallette Studio Theatre, located on the lower level of the College of Liberal Arts Center. 

The show, written by Hunter Bell and scored by Jeff Bowen, chronicles its own creation as an entry in the New York Musical Theatre Festival and follows the struggles of the author and composer/lyricist and their two actress friends during the three-week creative period, along with subsequent events leading up to the show's production. [title of show] is, above all, a love letter to musical theatre—a uniquely American art form—and to the joy of collaboration. 

Joining Robinson are current USI students, Eric Meyer, Rico Wright, LillyBea Ireland and recent graduate, Via Ryan. 

During the academic year, the Mallette Studio Theatre gives students the chance to produce, design and stage theatrical works in a setting with limited faculty involvement and allows them to explore new topics and gain valuable skills that will translate into their field of choice.  

All tickets are general admission on a first-come first-served basis and may be purchased online on the USI Theatre website. Tickets are $5, and patrons are encouraged to purchase early, as day-of-sale box office tickets may not be available. No reserved seating will be used for this event. 

For more information or ticket purchase assistance, contact Adam Funkhouser at 812-465-7110 or by email at theatre.management@usi.edu.