IU Theatre and Telecommunications student Jared Smith currently works costume crew for Indiana Festival Theatre’s modernized production of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.” Although his crew hours are a requirement for the summer theatre course T334: Costume & Design, he admits there are lessons learned when working with his fellow cast and crew.
“I really do enjoy understanding and working with the technical aspects involved with the show’s wardrobe production,” Smith said. “It takes a lot of hard work that I should really appreciate as an actor”.
Students taking Introduction to Theatrical Production also participate in the rehearsal and performance process for each of the shows that occur throughout the summer at IU’s School of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance.
This is the IFT’s fifth consecutive season. IFT is IU’s professional summer theatre, and this summer they show a local classic, “The Gentleman from Indiana,” Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” and the Dr. Seuss inspired musicalm, “Seussical the Musical.”
Equity performers traveled from Chicago to Bloomington to work with both graduate and undergraduate students on these professional productions. This creates a one-of-a-kind learning experience for IU students, according to the release.
“It’s definitely a great experience getting to work with equity and student actors together in a pretty functional environment,” Smith said.
Performances of “As You Like It” began July 10 and will end July 25, according to the IU Theatre, Drama & Contemporary Dance website. “The Gentleman from Indiana” began performances July 11 and will also end July 25 with a matinee performance.
“Seussical the Musical” will open July 31 with a family friendly show time of 7:00 p.m. The show’s run ends Aug. 16.
All performances during the Indiana Theatre Festival are in the Lee Norvelle Theatre and Drama Centre located at 275 N. Jordan Ave.
Ticket admissions are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for students, according to the release.
“It’s important for our students to see these professionals work – how they create characters, how they prepare, how they comport themselves in rehearsals,” Chair of IU’s theatre department and artistic director of IFT Jonathon Michaelsen said in an April press release. “Plus, our students get sense of what a professional actor’s life is like: practically speaking, how these people structure their lives so they can do this kind of work.”
