There is a saying in theatre, “The show must go on.” This has never been more true for the Drury Theatre department. This very week (Oct. 7-10), the Theatre department will be putting on “Seussical the Musical” for a live, in-person audience. It will be their second and last show of the semester, but it has been and will be quite a different experience for all involved. The Mirror spoke with Dr. Mick Sokol, head of the Theatre department, about Seussical and what this season has been like.

Drury’s production of Seussical is headed by Josh Inmon, the staging and choreography director, and Beth, who directs the music. They are a regular team when it comes to Drury’s musical theatre. However, this production also has a few guest designers, Bob Robins and Justin Gannaway. Robins is a professional lighting designer out of Gainesville, Florida. Gannaway is a Drury alumna who went on to gain his Master’s degree in Costume Design. “Two guest designers make things very, very exciting,” says Sokol.

What is less exciting is the timeline for Seussical. “Normally, our musical is in mid-November,” says Sokol, “We moved it up because all summer, there was talk of a potential second wave coming in November.” In order to compensate, the department decided to complete all productions before fall break. This accelerated timeline was only viable because the first production of the season, “Charlotte’s Web”, was a hold over from last spring. Most of the set, rehearsals, and costumes were finished by the time quarantine began, so it was simply a matter of finishing those and then starting on Seussical.

Sokol is quite proud of the department and the students for being able to put on live-theatre safely during this pandemic. The department has been diligent about contact tracing and temperature taking. Before each performance, a stage manager or assistant will take the temperature of each cast member and the crew. The cast performs with masks and mics – two things Drury’s theatre department has never used before.

But it is not just the actors who are taking extra precautions. The department has also taken the initiative to reduce seating in Wilhoit during performances. Every other row is blocked off and the ushers have been instructed to seat each party six-feet apart. This makes figuring out the theater’s capacity quite the challenge. To make sure you get a seat, please call or visit the box office in advance of the performance and talk to a representative. This will help the department keep all the patrons safe and socially distanced. The box office is located right next to the Wilhoit Theatre and is open Monday through Friday 1-5 p.m. You can call the box office at (417) 873-7255.

Article by Afton Jagels