The Shippensburg University Acting Group (SUAG) is putting on a new comedic play called “The Single Man — A Murder Mystery.” It is about a death threat that takes place on the set of a TV show called “The Single Man,” and the producers send in a detective, disguised as a bachelor, to find the killer.
The members of SUAG are focused on fostering a welcoming community that inspires theater lovers to join their group and contribute. Many members in SUAG have done theater in high school and wanted to continue when they entered their college careers.
SUAG President Madeline Thievon values every member and hopes that they can fully be themselves when they are onstage.
“I hope they discover a talent or drive within themselves to continue to be a patron of the arts,” Thievon said.
Within her time as president, she has learned to be a “sounding board” for the other members and prioritizes letting their ideas come to life.
The cast sitting down to listen to notes given by the directors.
“We’re the only theater program at Ship right now, and I really care about keeping that alive and making sure that people are able to have that outlet on campus,” said Lydia Lyman, the main director of “The Single Man — A Murder Mystery,” as well as the MDO for SUAG. “I think it’s really important to be able to have that outlet for folks that want to do other things, but still want to be able to act in a show.”
That outlet is something that assistant director Hannah Campbell takes advantage of.
“I write, I do art, and this is just another way to creatively express myself,” said Campbell.
Her initial interest for the group sparked because of her love and passion for the “creative aspect of storytelling.” Campbell also serves on the SUAG E-Board as the treasurer.
Lex Boyd, who is an assistant director for the show, shared that the most challenging part of the play has been stepping into the new role of being a director.
“I wanted to challenge myself and kind of take that leap into it,” Boyd said.
He added that the support he has received from his other directors as well as the cast has furthered his confidence.
With a little under a month left for preparations, the production is set to hit the stage on April 30–May 2 in Memorial Auditorium. Stay tuned for more updates from the group and future events by following their Instagram.
“This show is going to bring a lot of smiles,” Campbell said.
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