Teiron Motley, left, is Gabriel and Zoe Wyman is Acanit in LSU Theatre's production of 'Marburg.'
LSU's stages will be one-upping Charles Dickens in the coming weekend.
He told only the tale of two cities. LSU's theater groups will be telling the story of multiple cities — in different ways.
For LSU Theatre, the story of "Marburg" documents the happenings of four actual cities of Marburgs in different parts of the world, all somehow linked in different times in history.
Meanwhile, the Musical Theatre Club at LSU will offer up songs from the many worlds of musical theater in its annual Singeaux revue.
In both cases, there are lots of stories to ingest, provoking lots of thought.
LSU Theatre's production of Guillem Clua's 2010 drama, "Marburg," opens Thursday in the Reilly Theatre. Sections of the play usually are taught in the LSU School of Theatre's classes.
Hailey Wendelstedt, left, is Helga, and Ansel Wilder is Tom in LSU Theatre's production of 'Marburg.'
"Actually, a student suggested that we do the play," said visiting director Aubrey Snowden. "So, this will be the first time this play will be performed at LSU."
Snowden is a faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also is a freelance director and was brought to LSU as a visiting artist specifically to direct this play.
Theater opportunities will be plentiful in the coming weekend at LSU when LSU Theatre opens "Marburg," and the Musical Theatre Club at LSU per…
As a result, the Reilly Theatre's floor has been divided into multiple stages with one furnished as a Pennsylvania living room. This will be where the multiple parts of this story unfold.
The story begins in August 1967 when an outbreak of an unknown hemorrhagic fever virus shatters the quaint German village of Marburg, killing 23 people in a matter of hours. As the play progresses, this event is linked to four stories of different Marburgs spanning over 40 years: Pennsylvania, 1981; South Africa, 1999; and Australia, 2007.
Teiron Motley, left, is Gabriel and Zoe Wyman is Acanit in LSU Theatre's production of 'Marburg.'
"There are so many moving parts to this play," Snowden said. "It's kind of an epic global play, I would say, where you have four different settings, four different locations and four different time periods, and yet all of their stories slowly but surely come into being in concert with one another to tell a greater, kind of larger story."
The concept of illness, present in all four locations, tackles such issues as the weight of history, the value of faith, the power of politics, survival and identity. While "Marburg's" nine characters examine their lives, they also know those lives could end at any time.
"There's a lot of echoing in this play that feels like COVID," Snowden said. "It's really interesting to try and do this play now, post-pandemic, because we have a whole different understanding than we wouldn't have had 10 years ago."
Hailey Wendelstedt, left, is Helga, and Ansel Wilder is Tom in LSU Theatre's production of 'Marburg.'
Cast member Zoe Wyman can relate to the COVID connection. Her freshman year at LSU was spent in remote classes because of the pandemic.
Now the New Orleans-born senior theater major is one of the major players in LSU Theatre's annual spring production.
Her character, Acanit, is a Ugandan missionary in South Africa who aids a Catholic priest in determining whether or not the Jesus on the crucifix in the Catholic church's sanctuary is crying blood.
Does the duo figure out the mystery?
From left, Don Fields is Riff Raff, Maddy Antrainer is Magenta and Isabella Siddon is Columbia in the Musical Theatre Club's rehearsal of 'Time Warp' from the 'Rocky Horror Show' for its 'Singeaux' musical revue.
"I think it's left up to interpretation," Wyman said. "Acanit is trying to help the priest, Gabriel, find the answer to this mystery, but then the story starts delving into deeper subjects."
And speaking of interpretation, Wyman's perspective of "Marburg" was different while studying the play in one of her theater classes.
"I thought, 'What is this?'," she said. "But now, actually seeing it on stage helps a lot with the storytelling. I think it's profound, especially after going through COVID."
Meanwhile, on the LSU Union Theater's stage, the Musical Theatre Club at LSU will bring its audiences on a lighter journey when it stages its one night only revue, "Singeaux," on Friday.
Well, "lighter" may not be an accurate description as the show opens with the anthem, "I Know Where I've Been," from "Hairspray the Musical." That song has a way of generating goosebumps.
Members of the Musical Theatre Club at LSU rehearse 'Time Warp' from the 'Rocky Horror Show,' to be performed in their 'Singeaux' musical revue on Friday.
It's also the perfect way to open a 16-song program that includes such numbers as "Cell Block Tango" from "Chicago," "Brand New Day" from "The Wiz" and "Dancing Queen" from "Mamma Mia."
And the grand finale? Well, that will be "Time Warp" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
"Singeaux" is directed by Jayden Dorsett, who, like his fellow cast and crew members, is a student. A junior psychology major from Mandeville, Dorsett plays baritone in LSU's Golden Band from Tigerland.
"I'd never been in a musical theater production before coming to LSU, but I always loved to sing," Dorsett said. "So I joined the club as a way to sing. I also thought it would be a good way to meet people on campus."
A member of the Musical Theatre Club at LSU rehearses 'Time Warp' from the 'Rocky Horror Show,' to be performed at the club's 'Singeaux' musical revue.
The club, like the band, accepts students from all majors. Dorsett is now the assistant chair of the club's board. His goal in directing "Singeaux" is to give the 46-member cast as many singing and dancing opportunities as possible.
Some will be singing solos, others in small ensembles and there are some all-cast numbers.
"In recent years we've had the same people performing in the main singing roles," Dorsett said. "So, this year, that's something that I've really wanted to take initiative with. I didn't want to cast anybody in more than one role or two roles. I want everybody to have their chance, and it gives more people opportunities to perform these roles."
The show will have an intermission, and as always, admission is free.
The Musical Theatre Club at LSU's ensemble that will be performing 'Time Warp' from the 'Rocky Horror Show' at its 'Singeaux' musical revue.
"But we do accept donations to the club at MTCLSU," Dorsett said.
In the meantime, brush up on your "Time Warp" because audience participation will be encouraged in that number. It is a "Rocky Horror" tradition, after all, and part of the "Singeaux" fun.
"Marburg" will run Thursday through Sunday, and Wednesday through Sunday, April 17-21, in the Reilly Theatre, Tower Drive. Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m. All other shows start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $9-$22. Visit lsu.edu/cmda.
"Singeaux" will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday in the LSU Union Theater. Admission is free. Visit facebook.com/musicaltheatrelsu.