COD presents improvisational theater in July
College of DuPage Summer Repertory Theatre will present free performances of "Me, Us and Them!" on the college's Glen Ellyn campus and area locations in July.
Scripted through improvisation, "Me, Us, Them!" was inspired by the need for individual identity, said director and theater professor Amelia Barrett. This annual collaboration between director, designers and cast begins with a general theme, with the script evolving from improvisation.
"We walk in to our first meeting with a general idea of what lessons the characters will learn and how they'll journey to that point. The students and I really work to develop their characters," Barrett said.
"As we develop the script and the road map for the show, initial ideas may be scrapped or take a different turn. I find it really exciting, because what you start with and what you end up with on performance night can be so different."
The show isn't complete until the first performance, she said, adding that audience interaction still brings the element of surprise not only for audience members but for the actors as well.
"You can always have unexpected elements," Barrett said. "In previous years, we had a child wander up on stage and become part of the show. You really never know what you're going to get from your audience, and that's fun for the performers."
Campus performances are at 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 18 and 19, in the McAninch Arts Center's outdoor Lakeside Pavilion, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. Guests are invited to bring a blanket, chair and picnic. Concessions will be available.
Community performances are Thursday, July 2, at COD's Early Childhood Education Center; Wednesday, July 8, at the Winfield Public Library; Friday, July 10, at the LaGrange Library; Saturday, July 11, at the Villa Park Library; Sunday, July 12; at the Glen Ellyn Library; Wednesday, July 15, at the Lisle and Wheaton libraries; and Friday, July 17, at the Helen M. Plum Memorial Library in Lombard.
Admission is free for all performances. For information, call (630) 942-4000 or visit atthemac.org.