SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Grab a blanket and put on a pot of hot chocolate because Evangel University Theatre proudly presents It’s A Wonderful Life: A Radio Show by Joe Landry.
The production will be broadcast live over Periscope on Friday, Nov. 20th at 7:00 p.m.
Directed by senior theatre and speech education majors, Annalise Williams and Abbigail Vaughan, the show can also be found online on the campus radio channel at www.crusadermedia.com under the KECC tab.
“Listen at home with your computer or phone and feel as if you have stepped back in time to the Golden Age of Radio,” said Williams in an announcement that went campus wide.
“With authentic 1940s commercials, sound effects, and an ensemble that brings dozens of characters to life, we hope to bring you the joy and true spirit of Christmas over the radio this holiday season,” she said.
It’s A Wonderful Life: A Radio Show is a new type of production for Evangel’s Theatre program — an experiment brought on by the limitations of the Covid Pandemic.
The production also became a cross-department effort when the theatre students reached out to the broadcasting students.
“Campus radio advisor Austin Twigg led a team of students in the recording process. He engineered this for the theatre department,” said Dr. Cameron Pace, chair of the Department of Communication. “The Periscope channel is KECC’s channel which airs 24 hours a day.”
“So, get the whole family together around the fire and enjoy this classic Christmas story,” concluded Williams.
Theatre at Evangel
The theatre program at Evangel University is a vibrant, growing program under the Humanities Department. It is housed in the Barnett Fine Arts Center.
“Our graduates are successful across the country as teachers, managers, actors, playwrights, directors, pastors, programmers, administrators, community builders, MFA graduate students and the list goes on,” said Dr. Vickie Wisdom, professor of theatre at Evangel.
There are three majors offered to students interested in this area of study at Evangel University.
- The theatre major provides instruction in theatre history, literary appreciation of dramatic literature, dramatic interpretation, and the performance skills demanded of a theatre artist. Theatre majors gain practical experiences in acting, directing, set design and costume design.
- The theatre/speech education degree program brings the stage to life for those passionate about educating students in effective interpretation. The program provides a broad track with exposure to multiple disciplines of informative, dramatic, persuasive and improvisational communication styles. Students may also get practical experience in speech and debate by participating with Evangel’s forensics team.
- The Humanities Department and the Music Department have collaborated to offer a major, combining elements of both theatre and music instruction. Evangel developed the theatre/music program to meet a clear need in professional-theatre and church sectors for well-trained college graduates with a hybrid theatre-and-music background.
“If you have a passion for integrating live theatre with your faith, please contact me at wisdomv@evangel.edu,” said Dr. Vickie Wisdom, director of theatre at Evangel, “Our leadership team is ready to welcome you!”
Evangel University, with the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS), is a comprehensive Christian university committed to excellence in educating and equipping students to serve the church and society globally.
Evangel and AGTS serve more than 2,200 students from all 50 states and numerous foreign countries, offering 70 undergraduate majors and 19 master’s and doctoral degrees.
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