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Happenings in the Keweenaw Peninsula October 28, 2002 Text © 2002 David Clark. Photos © 2002 Michele Anderson.

MTU Student Theatre Association to present Fall Shows

By David Clark, STA Producer

HOUGHTON -- Michigan Tech's Student Theatre Association (STA) will present its Fall Shows at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, November 1st and 2nd. The plays will be performed in the McArdle Theatre of the Walker Arts and Humanities Center on the MTU campus.

The Student Theatre Association is a completely student-run group of Michigan Tech students who enjoy putting on a good show for other students and community members. This semester, the STA is presenting two student-written, one-act plays.

Leah Arnold, left, directs cast members of Time Enough for Lunch, by MTU graduate student Jill Sajdyk. Pictured here with Arnold are (back row, from left) Erin Johnson, Stephanie Walsh, Chris Worrel, Jeni Ciaciuch, Pooi Yee Lee and (seated) Kati Warsinski. The students will present this play on Friday, Nov. 1, and Saturday, Nov. 2, in the Walker Arts and Humanities Center's McArdle Theatre on the MTU campus.

Time Enough for Lunch, by Jill Sajdyk (a Michigan Tech student and now graduate student in the Humanities Department) is being directed by Leah Arnold. Leah described her play as: "Talking mules, a sexy computer, a cat with more than nine lives, a man who is his own father, and the search for the perfect lunch." For Robert Heinlein fans, the play is indeed a parody of his classic novel, Time Enough for Love.

Student director Leah Arnold (standing, left) gives advice to cast  members of the one-act play Time Enough for Lunch during a dress rehearsal in the Walker Arts and Humanities Center. Pictured here with Arnold are, (back row, from left) Matt Larson, Angela Moran, Dustin Mineau, JR Lewis and (seated) Kristie Walivaara and Tony Fabbri.

The Divine Engineer was written by Benjamin Schleis (a recently graduated Michigan Tech student) and is directed by Laura Loo. She sums up the play very succinctly: "Genesis meets Dilbert." The play takes a humorous look at the Creation by imagining God as a modern engineer.

MTU students rehearse a scene from The Divine Engineer, a play about the creation of the universe and earth (Genesis) with an engineering spin. In this scene, "God," played by Mark Andrasko, left, is at a meeting describing the cost, profits and feasibility of his Creation project to "Engineer" Tom Fields and "Sales" Alicia Mikel. The play is directed by Laura Loo (not pictured).

For the past four years, the Student Theatre Association has been performing several student-written, one-act plays each semester. Since the first show in early 1999, the directors, actors, technical crew, costumers and even the producer have all been students.

The purpose of the group is to provide students -- whether experienced thespians or completely new to theatre -- with an opportunity to become involved in all aspects of theatre. Anyone interested in theatre, no matter how much (or little) experience they may have, is more than welcome to join and learn about anything which interests them -- acting, lighting, sound design, scenic design, publicity, directing, writing and more.

The plays are free and open to the public, but donations are appreciated. No ticket is necessary.

Besides its Fall Shows, the Student Theatre Association is also sponsoring their second annual Playwriting Contest. The contest is open to all students. Plays should be original works. The winners will have their shows performed as the Student Theatre Associations Spring Shows, in April.

To obtain more information, to learn the rules or to enter a play, contact David Clark at dcclark@mtu.edu or 483-5146; Leah Arnold at learnold@mtu.edu; or Laura Loo at llloo@mtu.edu.

To learn even more about the Student Theatre Association, check out their website at http://www.fa.mtu.edu/sta/ 

Editor's note: Keweenaw Now guest writer David Clark is the Student Theatre Association's producer.

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