The Union University Theatre Department is set to perform “The Count of Monte Cristo” March 10-15 in the W.D. Powell Theatre, featuring a 15-person cast with full lights, sound and special effects.
Performances will take place nightly March 10-15 at 7:30 p.m. with the exception of Sunday, March 13, which will be a matinee performance at 2:30 p.m. While the Saturday, March 12 showing has already been sold out, the cast and crew encourage the Union community to buy tickets for the remaining showtimes.
Student and faculty tickets are $5 and tickets for the public are $7. To purchase tickets in advance visit uu.edu/theatre. Tickets will increase by $2 if purchased at the door.
Based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas, the production includes redemptive and historical aspects and explores themes of vengeance and forgiveness.
The cast began rehearsals on Zoom over J-Term and started rehearsing in person at the start of the spring semester. Their rehearsals include running dialogue, as well as choreographing the sword fighting scenes and hand to hand combat which appear in the show.
For director and adjunct instructor Kristin Klonowski, the production has fostered a sense of community amongst diverse students across campus.
“We have an interesting, diverse group in that there are quite a few freshmen where this is their first show at Union and a few seniors where it’s their first show but they’re seniors,” Klonowski said. “It’s nice to see how they’ve found common ground in creating their characters.”
“The Count of Monte Cristo” cast hopes the deeper themes of the story will resonate with audiences.
“I really just want them [the audience] to get invested in the story,” Jackson Bradshaw, freshman theatre major, said. “I think there is a powerful message in the end.”
Senior computer science major and lead actor Caleb Atkins believes the production has the potential to do more than just entertain the audience but can remain a lasting piece of art.
“I hope that they are emotionally impacted by it, because it’s a really beautiful play about letting your anger go and about empathy,” Atkins said.
Photo by Laila Al-Hagal
