Productions ran longer for IU students and directors this summer during the IU Summer Theatre Program. The program lengthens each production up to a two-week run compared to the fall and spring productions’ nine-day runs.
The program also emphasizes a professional approach to theater by paying all actors and following the Actors’ Equity Association regulations.
The Summer Theatre put on productions of “The King’s Critique,” “Sense and Sensibility,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” between June and August.
The production lengths aren’t the only part of the IU Summer Theatre that demand a greater commitment. The roles also offer a challenge for young actors.
“We work in rep, or repertory theater, meaning we rehearse and perform two shows at once,” said Nick Jenkins, who acted in “Sense and Sensibility” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
“Because you’re working on two different shows, you have multiple characters in your head. It can be a challenge to keep track of, but it’s a fun challenge, and it certainly helped me grow as an actor.”
These challenging summer productions are not always met with a large crowd.
“You might not have a giant audience, and you might not have that support that they’re giving you,” said Deinlein. “One of my favorite sayings in the theater community is ‘You can’t hear a smile,’ so you have to trust that everyone is still having a good time.”
The program offers a chance for young actors to challenge themselves, interact with local and older actors and engage with new directors like Robert Chaplin of University of Virginia, who directed “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”
“(The IU Summer Theatre) is a tried and true challenge for professional actors that is not done as often as it should be,” said Dale McFadden, director of “Sense and Sensibility.” “It allows them to be at the top of their game.”
The selection process starts in November, according to Managing Director Drew Bratton. The plays and musicals are chosen at that time and auditions take place in February.
“I love doing it,” said Courtney Reid Harris, a junior and actress in the IU Summer Theatre Program. “Everyone here is always kind and great.”
It wasn’t just the professionalism, but the sense of community that made an impression on Deinlein.
“It taught me that the theater really is a tight-knit community,” Deinlein said. “People want you to succeed. They want you to be better.”
