There are usually two productions each semester — drawing from genres such as classical and contemporary dramas, new works, issue-orientated plays, and comedies. Students will experience a wide variety of styles, genres, and themes during their time at Concordia.
Directed by Christian Boy
During an ostentatious wedding reception at a Knoxville, Tennessee, estate, five reluctant, identically clad bridesmaids hide out in an upstairs bedroom, each with her own reason to avoid the proceedings below. They are Frances, a painfully sweet but sheltered fundamentalist; Mindy, the cheerful, wise-cracking lesbian sister of the groom; Georgeanne, whose heartbreak over her own failed marriage triggers outrageous behavior; Meredith, the bride’s younger sister, whose precocious rebelliousness masks a dark secret; and Trisha, a jaded beauty whose die-hard cynicism about men is called into question when she meets Tripp, a charming bad-boy usher to whom there is more than meets the eye. As the afternoon wears on, these five very different women joyously discover a common bond in this wickedly funny, irreverent, and touching celebration of the women’s spirit.
Directed by Audra Bryant
What’s the buzz? The first musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber to be produced for the professional stage, “Jesus Christ Superstar” has wowed audiences for more than 50 years. A timeless work, the rock opera is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary and universally known series of events but seen, unusually, through the eyes of Judas Iscariot. Loosely based on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, “Superstar” follows the last week of Jesus Christ’s life. The story, told entirely through song, explores the personal relationships and struggles between Jesus, Judas, Mary Magdalene, his disciples, his followers, and the Roman Empire.
Directed by Dr. Robin Griffeath
Pauline Viardot’s “Cendrillon” is a retelling of Charles Perrault’s fairy tale, composed in an operetta style combining musical numbers and dialogues and intended for salon-style chamber performances, such as it received at its premiere in Viardot’s own salon in 1904.
Instead of a stepmother, this story has the foolish Baron de Pictordu, with his two vain daughters, Maguelone and Armelinde, who are both after the Prince. After an invitation to the palace for a grand ball arrives, Maguelone and Armelinde prepare for such a wonderful event. Marie, who they call “Cendrillon,” is left behind while everyone else attends the ball. Hearing her sad song, La Fée (the fairy godmother) appears and promises to make Cendrillon’s dreams come true: She will go to the ball. Meanwhile, the Prince and his good friend Count Barigoule swap places to test out the true natures of the potential brides. A mysterious stranger appears at the ball, and she and the Prince fall in love at first sight, but will he be able to find her again when she runs away at midnight?
Directed by Jessica Chipman
Described by Edward Albee as “the greatest American play ever written,” “Our Town” presents the small town of Grover’s Corners in three acts: “Daily Life,” “Love and Marriage,” and “Death and Eternity.” Narrated by a stage manager and performed with minimal props and sets, the play depicts the simple daily lives of the Webb and Gibbs families as their children fall in love, marry, and eventually — in one of the most famous scenes in American theatre — die. Thornton Wilder's final word on how he wanted his play performed is an invaluable addition to the American stage and to the libraries of theatre lovers internationally.