Here at Georgia Southern we have many great programs run frivolously by faculty and students alike. One such example is the GS theater department which is part of the GS Center for Art and Theater.

The department, which is run by multiple different directors, oversees the process of casting, designing, practicing and everything in between for two productions per semester.

“This semester, we are doing one show,” Kelly Berry, theater director, said.”The reason for that is that we are doing ‘Chicago’.”

“Chicago” is a famous musical which takes place in prohibition-era Chicago, Illinois and follows the main character Velma Kelly, who is a wanted criminal.

According to Berry, Chicago is a “giant musical” that “requires a ton of rehearsal.”

For this reason, the GS production will require much more preparation and practice time than usual.

“Chicago has 15 weeks for production. We want as much practice as possible,” Berry said.

As of right now the production has a cast of about 30 people and is still in its early stages, but it is scheduled to be performed April 28, 29 and 30.

In the meantime, the Center for Theater and Arts has a lot to offer for students and faculty while their production of Chicago is underway

From February 8 until February 11, GS will be hosting the Kennedy Center Theater Festival which according to Berry is “like the National Championship for college theater.”

During the four-day festival, there will be several workshops for acting, set design, costume design and nearly any of processes that need to happen to make a theater production happen.

At the end of every day of the festival, there will be a performance in our Blackbox theater. On the opening night of the festival, GS student will perform the play “She Kills Monsters” one more time.

This festival will host about 1,000 students from colleges around the southeast with seven other productions in the evenings.

“you’re gonna see the best [productions] from colleges around the Southeast,” Berry said.

To attend the festival, one has to register for tickets through the Performing Arts Center. If you register in advance, the cost is $80 but if registered on the day the festival begins it’s $90.

For students looking to get involved with productions in the meantime, one can audition on January 14, for one act performances that are being performed on March 11 and are directed by three different GS seniors.

To audition, show up at the Blackbox theater on Saturday at noon and you will given a line to audition with.

In addition, there will be a 10 minute play festival performed in Sanford Hall on April 1, which will feature performances written and submitted by GS students from last semester.