The Department of Theatre and Dance at Gustavus Adolphus College is presenting its last show of the season, Gloria from May 5 to May 8. Theatre Honors major Sydney Sutherland ‘22 shares her experience with the upcoming show, along with her time in the Theatre and Dance department.
Sutherland describes the upcoming show as engrossing and honest. “It tackles questions of how well do we really know each other? How can we peel away our shell to heal and learn from the past, without seizing the narrative for our own gain? It explores the meaning of morals within a toxic work environment, while also speaking truth to how we deal with trauma and recover from it,” notes Sutherland.
The work for Gloria began in December and the cast and crew have rehearsed every night since February. While this has been months in the working, Sutherland says that the preparation for this show was a great joy. “Preparing for this show has been a really great experience for me. Being in a rehearsal room is such a pleasure because I am able to witness great artists try new things and explore their characters, and my job is to help the process come to life, and be a liaison between the rehearsal room and building the production,” says Sutherland.
Even though Sutherland is very familiar with the show, there are still moments that make her laugh. “My favorite part of the show is when you’re watching and laughing then realize the consequences of this while we witness tragedy. I also love the small comedic hits, there are so many moments that have great comedic timing that still make me giggle even when I see it everyday!” notes Sutherland.
Sutherland is especially eager for this production since this is one of her first shows that she’s stage-managed for a live audience since COVID-19. “I’m so excited to facilitate this process and witness the artistry unfold. The last time I got to call cues for an audience was more than two years ago, so this is quite a treat for me, and I’m so grateful for the fantastic team of people I get to work with everyday,” she says.
While this is Sutherland’s last show with Gustavus, she is ready to take the lessons she’s learned from this department and apply them to her future in stage management. “Gustavus has helped me prepare for this because I’ve learned how to work with different directors and designers, and I’ve been given a good foundation to be flexible, independent, and excited to create art. This experience in particular has sparked a new joy in me that I’m excited to carry with me on future projects and collaborations,” says Sutherland. Following graduation, Sutherland will be working as an assistant stage manager in Texas and plans to stage manage across the country.
Gloria will be held in the Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre from May 5-8. The May 5 and May 6 performances will be held at 8 p.m., the May 7 performance will be held at 3:30 p.m., and the Sunday showing will be held at 2 p.m. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a 72-hour COVID-19 negative test will be required. Tickets are available on the Gustavus ticketing website.
Gloria does contain violence, strong language, and loud noises.
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