{"id":2293,"date":"2010-08-23T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2010-08-23T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.emu.edu\/blog\/news\/?p=2293"},"modified":"2010-08-23T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2010-08-23T04:00:00","slug":"emu-theater-launches-school-year-with-student-directed-musical-comedy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2010\/emu-theater-launches-school-year-with-student-directed-musical-comedy\/","title":{"rendered":"EMU Theater Launches School Year with Student-Directed Musical Comedy"},"content":{"rendered":"

EMU Theater<\/a> will launch the new school year with four performances of the student-directed play “The Last Five Years,” a contemporary musical comedy that will star EMU seniors Stephen Kniss and Kelsey Landes. <\/p>\n

\"EMU
Stephen Kniss and Kelsey Landes are featured performers in “The Last Five Years,” also directed by Kniss. (Photo by Jon Styer)<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

The 90-minute play, written and composed by Jason Robert Brown, is being presented 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 and the same times Sept. 1, 3 and 4 on the Thomas Plaza of the EMU Campus Center. There is a short intermission. <\/p>\n

Kniss directs for second time<\/h3>\n

Kniss, who also directs the show, calls is “a realistic, poignant look at a five-year relationship between a writer and actor, from the first date to the end, told from both points of view. It has beautiful music, and anyone who’s been in a long-term relationship should be able to relate to the play.” <\/p>\n

Kniss, a vocal performance and digital media major from Chicago, made his directing debut in November 2009 with “ANON(ymous),” by Naomi Iizuka<\/a>. He later wrote about the experience in The Weather Vane<\/a>, EMU’s student newspaper. <\/p>\n

Students and alums behind the scenes<\/h3>\n

Piano accompaniment is by EMU sophomore Phillip Martin and Goshen (Ind.) College graduate Josh Tyson. <\/p>\n

Set designer is EMU junior Jamie Hiner; light designer is Mark Fenton, EMU alumnus; and stage managers are EMU alumna Sarah Harder and EMU junior Susan Alexander. <\/p>\n

General admission to the play is $5. Tickets are available by calling 540-432-4360 will also be available at the door.<\/p>\n

More info<\/h3>\n