On the Breath of God: The Life of Maria Skobtsova
Created by Jerry Holsopple and Justin Poole
This world-premiere production co-created by EMU professors Jerry Holsopple and Justin Poole showcases the remarkable life of the Russian poet, saint, and martyr Maria Skobtsova. This edgy, defiant, offbeat, twice-divorced, chain-smoking nun, who called Tolstoy and other intellectual giants her friends, broke many stereotypes. She rejected traditional notions of sainthood, poured herself into the service of the poor and the oppressed, and saved the lives of many Jewish people during the WWII Nazi occupation of Paris. Did we mention that this original piece is a musical featuring a chorus of female mystics who sing Celtic tunes to the accompaniment of a live band?
Performance Dates:
Friday, March 28 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, March 29 at 7:00 PM
Sunday, March 30 at 2:00 PM
Tuesday, April 1 at 10:00 AM (School Matinee)
Thursday, April 3 at 7:00 PM
Friday, April 4 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, April 5 at 7:00 PM
EMU Theatre produces intelligent, faithful and compassionate artists who foster justice
and model peace via their art.
EMU Theatre presents
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical
A small cast of EMU students and community members play multiple roles in this epic rock musical version of Rick Riordan’s beloved YA novels about an under-achieving kid who discovers that he’s a demi-god. Be immersed in this exhilarating spectacle as familiar characters from Greek mythology (the minotaur, Medusa, Hades, and more) come alive with innovative puppetry created by EMU students and staff.
Tickets: Adults $20, Seniors $18, Children (up to 18) $10, University Students $6
(Doors open 30 minutes prior to each performance. Last-minute tickets can be purchased in person at the box office one hour prior to each performance. Seating is limited, so purchasing online in advance is highly recommended.)
Performance Dates/Times:
Friday, October 11 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, October 12 at 7:00 PM
Sunday, October 13 at 2:00 PM
Tuesday, October 15 at 10:00 AM (School Matinee)
Wednesday, October 16 at 10:00 AM (School Matinee)
Friday, October 25 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, October 26 at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM
Sunday, October 27 at 2:00 PM
EMU Theatre Faculty Series Presents
David: Poet, Warrior, King
Written and Performed by Justin Poole
Featuring Original Music Composed and Performed by Perry Blosser
Directed by Stan Swartz
This visceral, intimate, and highly theatrical play grapples with the complex nature of King David's character, drawing visual and thematic inspiration from Renaissance and Baroque art. Actor Justin Poole embodies multiple characters from the biblical narrative while musician Perry Blosser performs a musical backdrop. This fresh and gritty take on David challenges preconceptions, encouraging audiences to wrestle with the complex nature of the epic hero whose life and legacy continue to inspire.
Tickets: $10 General Admission, $6 EMU/JMU Students and Children Under 18 (Recommended for people ages 12 and Up)
Performance Date/Time:
Friday, November 1st at 7:00 PM in Mainstage Theatre
Click on the Link Below for Tickets to Both Shows!
Summer Musical Theatre Program
Theater invigorates every corner of campus, from medieval Christmas plays staged in the snow to experimental pieces mounted on golf carts, from major Broadway musicals in an 880-seat house to student-written plays flowering in our intimate studio theater.
Are you a 4th-12th grade student interested in musical theater? check out our Summer Musical Theatre Programs.
Learning Through Faith and Exploration
Intent on exploration, EMU Theatre embraces an adventurous model of faith and investigation. Some courses allow students to form a theater troupe over the course of a semester, crafting their own original piece through collaborative work. Other classes range widely across the history of dramatic literature, pulling theatrical works as varied as theater of the absurd and contemporary Native American theater.
Global Perspective and Cross-cultural Learning
EMU Theatre is committed to a global perspective. Through coursework, production, and study-abroad, we engage students in the heritage and contemporary performance practices of global theater artists. Students spend time in intercultural settings, working with and learning from the worlds’ theater artists.
Some students have invested semesters interviewing conflict victims in West Africa for a playwriting project and acting in Passion Plays in the Middle East. On campus, recent global theater projects included redesigning Western theaters for kabuki presentation and constructing theater pieces engaged in African development.
