Theatre and Dance casts more than 100 students for productions

More than 100 different students have landed roles in the five Department of Theatre and Dance productions planned during the 2015-16 season at Fredonia.

Casting for the department’s Walter Gloor Mainstage Series wrapped up on Aug. 29. According to Tom Loughlin, chairman of Fredonia’s Department of Theatre and Dance, 102 different students have been cast across the five shows.

“We are fortunate to be able to have a department strong enough to cast this many individual students across a dance and theatre season such as we produce,” Loughlin said. “This is a grueling process for us all, and while it is inherently imperfect, I believe we have done all that is humanly possible to make it open, fair and fun. I look forward to a year full of hard work and successful shows.”

The chairman noted there are also additional opportunities pending for student performers. The Performing Arts Company, a student-run theater organization, and Orchesis, the student dance company, will be announcing auditions for their productions soon.

In addition, students will have the opportunity to audition for Rockefeller Arts Center’s Commencement Eve Pops production, which will be a concert version of Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” on May 13, 2016.

“We continue to look for and explore more opportunities for our growing department to the best of our ability and resources,” Loughlin said.

To that end, Loughlin said discussions are also under way concerning another opportunity for a concert-style musical in the coming season.

The 2015-16 Walter Gloor Mainstage season includes:

• “Cabaret,” the hit Broadway musical, from Oct. 14 to 18 in Marvel Theatre at Rockefeller Arts Center. Show times are 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 14, 15, 16 and 17 and 2 p.m. on Oct. 17 and 18.

• “Six Characters in Search of an Author” on Nov. 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. in Bartlett Theatre at Rockefeller Arts Center.

• “The Laramie Project” (Feb. 25 and March 3 at 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 27 and March 5 at 2 p.m.) and “The Laramie Project Ten Years Later” (Feb. 26 and 27, March 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m.) in Bartlett Theatre. This is a special event intertwining two staged documentaries.

• Fredonia Dance Ensemble on April 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. and April 3 at 2 p.m. in the new dance studio at Rockefeller Arts Center.

• “James and the Giant Peach” on April 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30 at 7:30 p.m. and April 24 at 2 p.m. in Bartlett Theatre.

Tickets to all productions are available through the Fredonia Ticket Office in the Williams Center, by phone at 716-673-3501 and online at www.fredonia.edu/tickets.