By Hayley Lewis
Head on down to Yoder Recital Hall March 30 to April 1 at 7:30 p.m. to catch this year’s Spring Musical, Quilters. Starring seniors Audrey Hazelton, Martha Kroske, Lou Westcott, juniors Jenna Juarez and Adrianny Suarez, freshman Jordyn Garmatter and alum and community member Sara Brenner ‘79. This musical is based on the book, “The Quilters: Women and Domestic Art.” Purchase tickets today! Adults are $15, Seniors $12 and free for Bluffton students. Students will also receive Arts and Lecture credit for attending.
Dr. Bo Young Kang and Melissa Friesen chose Quilters for multiple reasons. Firstly, Quilters has not been shown since 2001 and they thought now would be a great time to bring this story back to life. As well as finding props being easy after already having them from the 2001 production.
Kang and Friesen consider Quilters to be a lovely story set in the North American Prairie homestead times where different generations of women tell their stores through quilting. With this story they hope it will make a nice connection between women across various historical time periods and changes over the past 100 years.
Due to Founders Hall being unavailable this time of year as well as the limited amount of people who auditioned, Quilters will be performed in Yoder Recital Hall. Kang and Friesen said that did not stop them and they know it will still be a beautiful production.
“We cannot wait to see what talent next year brings,” said Friesen.
Cast of Quilters practicing choreography in the Reichenbach Room in Sommer Center. Photo by Hayley Lewis.
Friesen is looking forward to a scene titled “Thread the Needle.” She acknowledges this scene has complicated choreography but is confident it will be amazing and wonderful to see up on stage.
Overall Friesen cannot wait to see the whole musical come together because it is such an episodic structure.
“I can’t wait to see all of these different stories end up getting pulled into one and various generations getting their story shared through quilting,” said Friesen.
Friesen hopes the audience recognizes the talents of the Bluffton students, faculty and staff and the hard work they put into the show. She also hopes the audience gains appreciation for the resilience and strength of some of our four mothers who have come before us. The women who struggled through challenging times and adversity. The audience will gain some insight into how those challenges and joys informed the richness of their lives and the impact that has led to us.
Grab some friends and head out to see the talent that Bluffton has to offer by getting a ticket to Quilters. With tickets selling out fast, students have been advised to get their tickets now. Take a seat and go back through time as the women share their lives with you through quilting.
