Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
BOLIVAR, Mo. – “The Hills Are Alive” this fall as Southwest Baptist University presents “The Sound of Music,” November 10-13 in Pike Auditorium on the Bolivar Campus. The final collaboration between Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, “The Sound of Music” has been a crowd-favorite since it premiered in 1959.
“To me, ‘The Sound of Music’ is a story of love and faith during a time of evil,” says director of the production, Assistant Professor of Communication Arts-Theatre Dr. Elissa Sartwell. “When most people think of the show, they tend to remember the raindrops on roses and the whiskers on kittens. Yet the musical tells a much stronger story than that. The Von Trapp family demonstrates tremendous courage and faith in their opposition to Hitler and the Nazi takeover of Austria.”
The SBU production does not downplay the elements of war.
SBU’s production features sophomore Leigha Stockton as Maria and senior Scott Davis as Captain Von Trapp. The cast includes more than 25 SBU students as well as several Bolivar community members: Beth Grabowski, Maggie Hopwood, Anna and Addison Meadows, Joseph Plunkett, Lily Shepard, Makenzie Stepp, and Grace Young. The production presents designs by SBU’s new theatre instructor, Jonathan Wehmeyer.
Performances run November 10-12 at 7 p.m. and November 13 at 2 p.m. There will be a special sing along performance at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 12. All audience members will be invited to sing their favorite songs along with the performers during the sing along.
Ticket prices range from $3 to $8 and can be purchased at the SBU Theatre box office, located in the Jester Learning and Performance Center. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone at 417-328-1691 or at the SBU Theatre website, located at www.sbuniv.edu/theatre.
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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.
SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.
