‘Soapbox’ selected for national competition
The Western Washington University Department of Theatre and Dance production “Soapbox” has been selected as one of four productions to represent Region VII of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for national-level adjudication.
Region VII comprises Alaska, Northern California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Northern Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Around 30 productions enter each year are entered into the Region VII KCACTF competition; a selection committee of faculty from around the region then preview and select four shows to represent the region at the national level.
In preparation for the competition, Western’s Department of Theatre/Dance has partnered with the Mount Baker Theatre to present a special performance of “Soapbox” on Friday, Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
“Soapbox” is a collaboratively-created production that began with an academic course in September 2012. Twenty-five Western students spent more than a year researching, creating, developing and rehearsing the work utilizing a process known as “devising,” for which the production’s director, Rich Brown, is nationally recognized.
Created for a college-aged audience, “Soapbox” asks “how will you balance time and money; technology and relationships; and living for yourself or helping others, during your personal pursuit of happiness?” The production features original song, dance, realistic and theatrical characters, comedy and drama, all exploring the main theme. “Soapbox” debuted on the Performing Arts Center Mainstage last spring.
After the Feb. 14 performance at Mount Baker Theatre, “Soapbox” will travel to Boise for the KCACTF Regional Festival, which takes place Feb. 14-17. Since budget cuts to the KCACTF in 2012, full productions no longer travel to the Kennedy Center.
Brown, who received the 2012 KCACTF National Award for Outstanding Lead Deviser/Director of a Devised Piece for Western’s earlier production of “US”, describes the festival production schedule for the show: “The loading dock door of the theatre and door of our truck open at 6 a.m. We have eight hours to set up the entire production … perform a 2 p.m. matinee, eat a snack, then perform again at 7:30 p.m., then strike entire production back into the truck. Theatre loading dock door and truck door both close at midnight. It is insane.”
Tickets for the one-night performance are available at Mount Baker Theatre, (360) 734-6080; and the Western Box Office 360-650-6146. Tickets are also available online at mountbakertheatre.com and tickets.wwu.edu.