There will be no spring musical this year, but the new PNW Theater Organization is working to bring an original show to campus in April. 

Debra Dado, who runs the Theater Organization, is working on a script for the spring performance, both during organization meetings and at home. The work, so far untitled, is what Dado calls a “devised work,” the result of collaboration by an ensemble of students. 

“We warm up and play some theater games and exercises, and then we work on a script,” said Dado. “I take that experience with those students and I go home and I write more scenes for them, specific to them. Even though I’m writing the play, they’re actually inspiring it more than they understand.”

The script has developed out of weekly meetings where students get an “improv workout” by engaging in theater games and exercises to keep their acting skills sharp. 

“Meetings so far have been fairly simple, yet a lot of fun,” said Raquel Welch, a first year Marketing major. “We have done cold readings of scripted scenes, worked on improv scenes and played games just to ‘warm up’ and be comfortable acting again. I really enjoy everything we are working on.”

The decision to cancel the spring musical – which has traditionally been a big production – was made since PNW has not been able to find a new music instructor, who left for personal reasons pertaining to the pandemic. Between this and the uncertainty of the pandemic, Dado felt she was unable to move forward with any plans for a large production. A live show has not happened since 2019, when students performed “Beauty and the Beast”. 

The Theater Organization was created by Dado to allow a more flexible approach to putting together performances during uncertain times. 

“We need to embrace more models of making work,” said Dado. “I am going to look at who is standing around me, who wants to do the work, who wants to put in the time, and I will make work from those ingredients. Will it be an evening of ‘one acts’? Will it be a musical? Will it be an evening monologue? Will it be a murder mystery? Will it be an improv night? Only time will tell.”

Since the organization is open to all students, it has also given those with little acting experience a chance to learn something new. 

“From our meetings this semester I’ve learned how to adapt quickly to a new scene,” said Alina Franco, a third year Communication major. “Through the exercises, scenes can switch to something entirely different, which means the setting, characters and the mood all shift. Learning how to quickly adapt helps me to stay focused and to pay close attention to details in each scene.”

This original performance, composed of about 11 students, will take place on the Hammond campus in the Y Jean Chamber Auditorium, SULB 353, in the Student Union and Library on April 21 and 22 and is free to all. An official start time is to be announced.