Lipscomb’s theater department is gearing up to put on its final main-stage show Dancing at Lughnasa — only this time it will be held in the University Theater to emphasize the story’s intimacy.
Beki Baker, the theater department chair and director of the show, decided to do it in the University Theater because she wanted the audience to be close to the story.
“It’s a really lovely, intimate play that explores the idea of memory, identity, family and things like that — that are really worthy of taking a moment, and it’s told in such a wonderful Irish storytelling way,” Baker said.
The show is an Irish play that revolves around Michael, who reflects back to his life in summer of 1936. He and his mother and four sisters lived in a small house in Ireland, and he was not married yet. The play visualizes the struggles and joys Michael and his family had during that time.
Doing a main-stage show in the University Theater is rarely done in the theater department, because it is heavily used as a class and studio space on a regular basis.
“Right now, we’re housing two departments — the theatre and cinematic arts program,” Baker said. “We have classes in here all the time, so it’s just kind of working the space out with having all of our classes and other activities and events working in house right here. It proves some challenges for sure.”
However, Baker noted that working in a challenging space often brings out more creativity in the cast and crew.
“It’s just a great challenge for the designers and the actors and the director and everybody to work in such a different space where the audience is right up there with you,” Baker said.
Dancing at Lughnasa will run April 9-11 and 15-18 at 7:30 p.m., and April 12 at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $17 for general public, $12 for faculty and $5 for students.