AJ Long is a multimedia journalist for Samford News Network.
The Samford Theatre & Dance Department concluded its performances of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe last weekend. The classic story in the Narnia franchise by C.S. Lewis was directed on stage by Laura Byland, who organizes the Theatre for Youth program at Samford. The show ran from September 29 – October 1 at Harrison Theatre.
All performances of the show were sold out. School groups, family members, faculty and students packed into Harrison Theatre to see the world of Narnia come to life. Audiences watched the story of the Pevensie children and their encounter with the lion Aslan, beating the evil White Witch.
The department also highlighted their work on the live puppetry for the animals of Narnia, which were created in a class on campus. The play is an unforgettable tale that combines fantasy, Christian allegory and a battle of good versus evil. Theatre department chair Mark Castle said the story was chosen for its emotional connection to the audience.
“It’s a story that speaks to our community. A lot of people know this story really deeply in their hearts. They’ve seen the movies, they read the books, they read them as kids. And there’s something very emotional about seeing it live on stage before you.”
Mark Castle
However, now that Wardrobe is in the books, the theatre department is looking to its future shows for the rest of the season. Following Wardrobe is Lucky Stiff, a musical performed in Bolding Studio that will premiere later this October. This year’s performances will also feature two world premiere shows, including Dragon’s Breath, a family opera debuting in November. 2023 will end with the annual ten-minute play festival in December.
In the spring, the annual dance concert Voices will return in February. That March, the improvisation-heavy Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind will put on 30 plays in 60 minutes with heavy audience participation. Castle said that shows like Too Much Light are just one example of the department trying fun new things that they hope students can learn from and adapt into their own work. The other world premiere is Tomorrow, the Island Dies, a musical by Ryan Scott Oliver, the 2023 Kleban Prize winner. Tomorrow, the Island Dies will run in April 2024, followed by the one-act festival that same month.
“We’re really excited, it’s a season of new things, things that are improvised, things that we’ve never done before. And so we really feel like we’re sort of stretching our legs to try some new and exciting things.”
Mark Castle
For more information on the Samford Theatre and Dance Department’s upcoming performances for the 2023-24 season, see the Arts Calendar.
