Riverland Community College Theatre Faculty Susan V Hansen has announced the 2024-2025 theatre season. The shows this year will include two musicals, a classic Shakespeare, and a showcase of Riverland student work. Tickets are now on sale.

Just in time for Halloween, the season opens October 30 with Carrie: The Musical, with music by Michael Gore, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, book by Lawrence D. Cohen, based on the novel by Stephen King. Carrie White is a teenage outcast who longs to fit in. At school, she’s bullied by the popular crowd, and virtually invisible to everyone else. At home, she’s dominated by her loving but cruelly controlling mother. What none of them know is that Carrie’s just discovered she’s got a special power, and if pushed too far, she’s not afraid to use it. WARNING: This production is based on a horror novel and contains acts of bullying, violence, and metaphysical concepts. Appropriate audience is 16+. Carrie: The Musical is directed by Randy Forster. 

The second production, Dec. 6 and 7, is The Spotlight, an evening of performances showcasing Riverland Theatre students. Join us for an entertaining evening of scenes, monologues, and songs performed by Riverland Theatre students as they prepare to attend the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Des Moines, Iowa this January. Susan V. Hansen will direct.

Richard III by William Shakespeare opens Feb. 26. Richard of Gloucester shares his every move with the audience as he begins his unscrupulous climb to the top. This charismatic tyrant manipulates and murders his way to governing. He promises, charms, and encourages as he disposes men and conquers women. The York family comes to realize that although they might have fought to reach the safety of leadership, their most lethal enemy is among their own party. The play is a gripping exploration of ambition, power, and the consequences of moral corruption. Adapted and directed by Susan V Hansen.

Closing out the season is the musical Footloose, set to the energetic rhythms of its Oscar and Tony-nominated score. Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small town where dancing is banned by a strict local preacher. As Ren challenges the town’s rigid rules, he catches the eye of the preacher’s rebellious daughter, sparking tension with her boyfriend and the community. The story explores the clash between generations and the healing power of music. Footloose celebrates the importance of understanding and guiding youth with compassion and an open mind. Stage Adaptation by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, Based on the Original Screenplay by Dean Pitchford, Music by Tom Snow, Lyrics by Dean Pitchford, Additional Music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins and Jim Steinman.

Individual tickets to all shows are now on sale. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.riverland.edu/tickets, or by phone.  To receive more information, call the Riverland Theatre Box Office at (507) 433-0595, email boxoffice@riverland.edu, or visit the website and download the brochure at www.riverland.edu/theatre. Individual ticket prices for Carrie: The Musical and Footloose are $16 and $13 for The Spotlight and Richard III. Riverland students receive two free tickets to each production.

Riverland Theatre strives to provide quality productions that are entertaining and challenging to both the audience and the artists.  Because we reach such a diverse audience, some audience members may find some subject matter, language, or situations objectionable. If you have concerns about a specific production, we encourage you to become familiar with the material before attending the performance.

Riverland’s Theatre Department is a high-energy performance-oriented program. Plays produced vary from classical tragedy to modern comedy and from full-scale large cast musicals in intimate small cast plays. Students are encouraged to get involved in all areas of theatre production including, but not limited to, acting, stage managing, set building and painting. Strong academic offerings provide challenges in and out of the classroom.