For many years, the Eureka College theater department has been putting on many successful shows, and offering experience to students who want to try their hand at performing, directing, collaboration, and technical experiences. However, recent years have proved challenging for the department.
In the past, Eureka has produced shows such as Promises, Promises, Story Theater, and Sweeney Todd. For the fall 2024 semester, the Eureka Theater Department will be putting on The Moors by Jen Silverman. Many of the past shows put on were advertised throughout campus, as well as on a Facebook page, Eureka College Theatre. The page is now inactive, but serves as an archive for shows put on in the 2010’s, up to 2023.
In addition to productions, Eureka College used to offer a theater major and minor. The official program was titled Theater Arts & Drama, and offered many different types of courses. In 2021, the entire program was cut, and the program and classes are no longer offered.
Senior Mackenzie Thompson recalls the program cut, which happened right before the first semester of her freshman year. “They no longer had a theater major when I was coming in as a freshman. I was told when I signed here in the beginning of 2021 that they had a theater major, and that’s what I was, and then August of 2021, a couple of weeks before school started, I was told it was no longer a thing,” Thompson said. Thompson has been in many productions at Eureka, and has worked with different directors and actors amidst the program changing.
After the program was cut, there was a lot of uncertainty with the direction that the theater was going in. One of the problems faced was finding a consistent director willing to work through a difficult period in the theater.
Junior Jaden Randall, alongside Thompson, has been involved with Eureka theater her entire time here, and has had first-hand experience with the changes taking place in recent years.
“Having a consistent director to work with is a lot nicer than having to switch every year,” Randall said. “Just when I was getting used to the way Nick [LoChiro] did things, he left and then we had Joel [Shoemaker]. I only spent a semester with Joel, so it wasn’t too much of a change, but he definitely did things differently.”
Cheyenne Flores is the current director for the theater department, and The Moors will be her second production here, alongside The Wolves. In the past, Flores has worked on costuming and acted in several other performances throughout her career.
“You can tell that there are students who want the theater department to be what it used to be. While we don’t have the funds to completely do that, I do try to bring them scripts and productions that will engage them and give them unique experiences,” Flores said.
The Moors originally premiered at the Yale Repertory Theatre in New Haven, CT, in 2016, and has since been performed in many undergraduate and professional theater departments. Containing themes of love, isolation, and desperation, The Moors is a unique show, intended for adult audiences.
In the future, Flores hopes to bring more attention to the theater department. The current productions typically consist of smaller cast sizes, an even smaller crew, and limited resources, stemming partially from a lack of student interest. “I hope students would like to come and do theater, but I continue to have the same group of people,” Flores said. Cast sizes and members vary show to show based on schedules and availability.
Flores also has plans to promote the theater and reconnect with alumni and students alike. “I hope to do a fundraiser. I’ve been talking about doing improv shows, or doing something else to reach out to the community,” Flores said. Through reaching out, the department can gain more traction, which leads to increased interest in the productions.
Another problem faced by the theater, due to lack of student interest and budget, is the lack of backstage and technical help. A typical production utilizes lighting and sound technicians, as well as a crew backstage, to ensure the show runs smoothly. “It’s very much a ‘do-it-yourself’ kind of thing. I feel like we don’t get a lot of outside help, but I don’t know if it’s always been this way,” Randall said. “The students and the director just have to figure it out themselves and get it done themselves.”
Despite these issues, the students involved in theater here persevere. Even with limited resources, they continue to rehearse and take on additional roles to ensure the successful completion of a show.
“I am hopeful that we will be able to draw in more actors. It’s a passion of mine and getting to work with new people is something I enjoy,” Randall said. “I’m hopeful that we can continue to grow the Eureka College theater family, and maybe get our name out there a little more. I have a lot of hopes for this.”
To support the theater department, be sure to come watch the upcoming production of The Moors, taking place Nov. 7, 8, 9, 10 at 7:30 pm, with an additional show at 2:30 on Nov. 10. Audition information for the spring production will be announced shortly after the semester begins. Reach out to Flores with any interest at cflores@eureka.edu.
