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MILLIGAN, Tenn. (Nov. 21, 2023) – Students in Milligan University’s Directing I course presented the play “Mauritius” to campus on Friday, Nov. 17, and Saturday, Nov. 18, in the McGlothlin-Street Theatre in the Gregory Center.
This unique theatrical production featured a different student director for each scene in the play. As part of the course’s assignment, each director was responsible for casting, staging and directing their scene.
The audience gained an intimate view of each student’s directing choices from their seats onstage and enjoyed the performances of a variety of actors throughout the play.
Senior Christy van Greunen, of Perry Hall, Maryland, appreciated the Milligan community’s support of her class’s work.
Over the semester, the Directing I course taught her “how to communicate with the audience, how to stage a visually pleasing scene, and dissect the subtle and vital details of the play. Our class did a stellar job communicating with one another, giving honest and constructive feedback, and being excited for each other’s creative visions in each scene.”
“Mauritius” by Theresa Rebeck follows two estranged half-sisters who discover a book of rare stamps after their mother’s death. They discover the stamp collection may include the crown jewel for collectors. One sister tries to collect on the windfall, while the other resists for sentimental reasons. In this gripping tale, a seemingly simple sale becomes dangerous when three high-stakes collectors enter the sisters’ world and are willing to do anything to claim the rare find as their own.
“I chose a play with heightened language and movement to challenge each director,” said Assistant Professor of Theatre and Artistic Director Frances Saxton. “Theresa Rebeck has produced more plays on Broadway than any other female playwright. Her writing is mesmerizing and captivating, and with ‘Mauritius,’ the plot is strong and captivated our audience.”
For van Greunen, the directing course will have a lasting impact on her pursuits as an actor.
“As a musical theatre major, this directing course opened my eyes to how much work theatre directors put into plays,” said van Greunen. “I plan on becoming an actor, and working on ‘Mauritius’ taught me to better understand a director’s vision and guidance.”
For more information on Milligan’s theatre program, visit milligan.edu/theatre.