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If you missed theatre here at St. Scholastica, worry not, for a new show is just around the corner. “John Proctor is the Villain” written by Kimberly Bellflower will open in the CSS theater on March 21 and will run until March 29. This is a remarkable feat by the CSS Theatre Club as the theatre department was officially cut last Spring. Dedicated students Emmie Hinnenkamp and Merete Nelson didn’t waste any time mobilizing to keep theater around for those who love the arts here at the college.
The loss of the Theatre Department was very jarring for students, staff and faculty alike. Especially following an incredible run of “Rabbit Hole” by David Lindsay-Abair, which Hinnenkamp starred in. Those involved with the program acted almost immediately to the cut with a sit-in outside the Offices of Higher Administration on the second floor of Tower Hall. This event brought in hundreds of people from St. Scholastica and even students from the Theatre Department at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Nelson described the incredibly successful sit-in as “an important part of expressing our anger and getting the word out.”
Inspired by the dedication and support of the community, Nelson, Hinnenkamp and other staff and students did not stop with the sit-in. Hinnenkamp assumed the role of president with Nelson as the vice president. Both have been involved in theatre since middle school and were not going to allow the CSS Theatre to slip quietly away. Hinnenkamp stated “The next step was to reestablish the theatre club, which had been formerly known as DramaProv, which was a collaboration of the now-dissolved Drama Club and Improv Club. The initial goal of Theatre Club was only just to keep the arts alive here at CSS. It was meant to be a place for people interested in drama and theatre to come together.” Vice President Nelson and President Hinnenkamp had no idea how insurmountably their expectations would be exceeded.
The Theatre community is incredibly strong in Duluth and the surrounding areas. So much so that when the word got out that CSS cut the Theatre Department, the University of Wisconsin Superior opened up the doors of their program to CSS students. Hinnenkamp, Nelson, and freshman Sophia Reeves took part in UWS’s production of “The Wolves” by Sarah Delappe which follows a high school girl’s soccer team. UWS director, Sean Naughton had been brainstorming with CSS actors to come up with a plan for revamping theatre at CSS. Naughton luckily knew someone who would be perfect for the job.
Mathew Singletary has directed more than 80 productions across the country, including in Los Angeles, New York City, and the upcoming show at the College of St. Scholastica. With Singletary on board, a real production was possible. “John Proctor is the Villain” by Kimberly Belflower is a contemporary play following a high school literature class as they read “The Crucible” and begin to understand it in the context of their own lives.
The show will be premiering on Broadway in March starring Sadie Sink. Its Broadway debut would usually be a roadblock for acquiring the rights to perform it; however, Singletary emailed playwright Kimberly Belflower, and was granted special permission for CSS to put it on.
CSS’s production of “John Proctor is the Villain” will be opening on Thursday, March 21, and will run through Saturday, March 29. All student tickets, regardless of what school, will be completely free. Additionally, each performance will be a Dignitas Lab.
Let the incredible story of the fall and rise of theatre at CSS inspire you to use your voice. Hinnenkamp was incredibly inspired by her dedicated peers and she knew that “if we students didn’t say anything, we’d still be in a theatreless community.”
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