The East Central College Theatre Department is heading to the great outdoors this Fall for their first-ever productions in the “Theatre in the Glen” at the Union campus.

The performance series will kick off Friday, Sept. 11, with “Hidden in This Picture,” a play written by Aaron Sorkin. The preshow begins at 5 p.m. and the performance begins at 6:30 p.m.

A second performance will be Sunday, Sept. 13, at 3:30 p.m. for the preshow and 5 p.m. for the performance.

Theatre in the Glen was developed due to restrictions prompted by COVID-19 and keeping the theatre staff, cast and audience safe and healthy, according to Grace Austin, theatre director.

“We had an incredible 20/21 theatre season ready to announce when it became very clear that any type of indoor event with a large crowd of people was simply not safe,” she said. “Fortunately, when we first came up with this plan the administration was incredibly supportive and we have had nothing but enthusiasm from day one.”

At each of the Theatre Department shows there will be food trucks and beverages for purchase during the preshow.

The theatre department will follow up the September shows with “Epic Proportions” that will be held Oct. 2 and 4.

“We are living in unprecedented times. The world as we know it has changed forever, and the only way that the arts will survive is by changing with it,” Austin said.

“ECC has always been known for its strong commitment to the arts, and being able to pivot to an outdoor performance series will allow us to continue our commitment to our students and the community to be a corner stone of arts and culture.”

The performances will be in the grassy area at the heart of the ECC campus between Hansen Hall and the Donald Shook Student Center.

The audience can purchase tickets for a square where they can sit on a blanket within a 10-foot by 10-foot square painted on the hill. Each square can seat up to six people.  No lawn chairs are permitted in the grass areas.

There also will be four-top table seats available for purchase on the bridge overlooking the Glen.

“Lawn Squares,” that can seat up to six people cost $20 and “‘Skywalk Seats,” that will seat four people, are $40.

Patrons of the Arts can begin reserving their squares or tables soon for “Hidden in this Picture” and “Epic Proportions.” Tickets for the first performance will go on sale publicly Aug. 17.

Other Music, Theatre, Art and Film & Lecture events planned in the Glen are the ECC Band Concert on Oct. 20; Classics & Cocktails: Anatomy of a Murder (Film & Music with the ECC Jazz Band), Oct. 22; and the Theatre Department’s performance of “Tales from the Shadows,” Oct. 28-30.

Theatre Performances

During “Hidden in This Picture,” the preshow will include barbecue from Hazel’s Back Barbecue, Washington; and refreshments from Dana’s Shaved Ice, St. Clair; and Pinckney Bend Distillery, New Haven.

Austin works at the Muny every summer and is bringing the excitement and knowledge of outdoor performances to ECC.

“I see how much people love attending outdoor theater,” she said.

“Using what I’ve learned, along with the knowledge of my colleagues, we’ve been able to use some of those performance and technical techniques and apply them to the Glen.”

Austin added that performances will run about 50 minutes.

“Play selection was somewhat out of necessity — shows need to be short in order to avoid an intermission, and we wanted to make sure that we could appeal to a wide age range,” Austin said. “I have always loved both scripts that we chose, and I’m looking forward to hearing the audience laughter during performance!”

Details

Masks will be required unless audience members are seated in their lawn squares or at their tables. Walkways will be spaced according to CDC guidelines.

Social distancing will be observed while standing in line and there will be no tickets exchanged and all programs will only be available digitally.

In addition, each seat will be assigned to a bathroom in order to maximize space and safety.

“I am so looking forward to the energy from the audience that comes during a performance evening,” Austin said. “We are so fortunate to have incredible support from our audiences, I know that the actors and technicians and I are really looking forward to seeing everyone’s faces again.”

For more information visit www.ecctheatre.com or call the Box Office at 636-584-6693

This summer’s performance of “Grits: The Musical” at East Central College has been canceled.

The musical was scheduled for July 23-26 in the John Anglin Performing Arts Center.

According to Robyn Walter, ECC vice president of academic affairs, several factors led to the decision, including the health and safety of audience members, performers and staff due to COVID-19.

“We believe canceling the show is in the best interest to promote public health and safety during our phased-in reopening approach,” she said.

For more information call the box office at 636-584-6693, or email ECC Box Office Manager Shannon Penrod at shannon.penrod@eastcentral.edu.

“GRITS The Musical” is based on the book “GRITS (Girls Raised in the South) Friends Are Forevah” and it was to be directed by John Anglin.

The East Central College Theatre Department is moving forward with tentative plans to present two summer productions — GRITS, and Church and State.

A final decision regarding the shows will be made June 9 by ECC administrators.

In the event the performances are held, the ECC Theatre Department is planning to modify seating, audience entry procedures and other details to protect the health of audience members and performers.

“The administration and the theater department are working together to create a set of health and safety guidelines that will help us to make sure that everyone is as safe as possible,” said Grace Austin, theatre director.

GRITS, scheduled for July 23-26, will be directed by John Anglin with music direction by Paula Nolley and choreography by Bethany Herron. Tickets for GRITS will be available after June 9 if the show is performed as scheduled.

According to Anglin, the cast of four for GRITS have their music and scripts.

“They all are very accomplished,” he said. “They can rehearse completely on their own.”

Church and State (originally scheduled for April 20-23) will be presented Aug. 16-19. It is directed by Austin and features Tara Steffens, Chad Greife-Wetenhall, Lukas St Clair and Carly Uding.

Tickets for Church and State can be purchased at ecctheatre.com.

The East Central Theatre Department is making final run-throughs for 9-5 the Musical, with a high-flying treat for audiences.

It is the first time that a performer will fly through the air on stage at the John Edson Anglin Performing Arts Center. Director Grace Austin said the cast is working with On the Fly Productions, LLC, St. Louis.

“This year, we were fortunate with the support of the administration to be able to hire On the Fly, A professional company out of St. Louis that also does flying productions all over the world,” Austin said.

Show times for 9 to 5 the Musical will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, through Saturday, Feb. 22, and then at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23. Tickets are still available for these shows at ecctheatre.com. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone at the Theater Box Office at 636-584-6693.

“Being able to fly a performer as called for in the script is a new thing for us and something unique that we are able to offer to our students who were trained by On the Fly,” Austin added. “We are definitely hoping to partner with the company again to offer flying workshops.”

The musical is set in the late 1970s and is a story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era. The music and lyrics of this outrageous, thought-provoking, and even a little romantic musical, were written by Dolly Parton.

The cast will be led by ECC theater veterans Brittany Losh as Judy Bernly; Tara Steffens as Violet Newstead; and Chad Greife Wetenhall as Franklin Hart; with newcomers Rebecca Evans as Doralee Rhodes and Crystal Pratt as Roz Keith.

Joining them in principal roles are Isaac Corum as Joe; Jonathan Robertson as Dwayne; Donovan Counts as Josh; Jessie Patterson as Missy Hart; Abby Shallin as Maria; Trey Dinker as Dick Bernly; Andrew Carter as Bob; Kyle Counts as Tinsworthy; Briley Howell as Kathy; and Heidi Nuckolls as Margaret.

Rounding out the company is Rita Bub, Diane Burnett, Carol Buescher, Jagger Case, Schuyler Condon, Kathy Dawson, Jasmine Derhammer, Camryn Dunivin, Aidan Gildehouse, Sam Holland, Patty Kellmann, Zack Kimker, Meg Kimminau, Nate Mendez-Torres, Sebastian Montowine, Russell Pinnell, Anna Marie- Sampson, Lainie Shollenberger, Sue Spann, Sydney Smith, Erin Wehmeyer, Sophia Wildt and Andrew Utz.