Gustavus is well known for its Theatre Department and plays. But not often does a professional theatre troupe visit the College to put on their own performance.
As part of its Midwest tour of 2015, TigerLion Arts will be performing its featured production Nature: A Walking Play in the Linnaeus Arboretum from Friday, Sept. 25 through Sunday, Sept. 27. There will be performances at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, 12:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
This play shares the work of authors Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry Thoreau and their love of the natural world.
As the name implies, it has an overarching theme of getting back to and acknowledging nature. Nature involves a certain amount of audience participation. TigerLion Arts is known for celebrating nature through its productions.
For more information on the troupe, visit its the Tigerlion website.
In order to bring the message of the play to full force, the play is physically walked through the arb.
Before the play begins, a chorus comprised of Gustavus students, high schoolers, and community residents will sing for fifteen minutes.
The cast is comprised of professional actors and a community chorus, which is made up of different members at each location the play is performed at.
Nature was created collaboratively with Tyson Forbes, who happens to be a direct descendent of Emerson. It is directed by Markell Kiefer.
“I feel like we’ve really boiled down the ideas of Thoreau and Emerson to their essential parts,” said Forbes to the Mankato Free Press. “This show really communicates with 7-, 8-, 9-year-olds as much as it does with academics.”
Karin Dye, a senior Music Education major, is leading the community chorus for the performance.
“I was particularly drawn to the project because of its collaborative community aspect,” Dye said. “The chorus is made up of Gusties but also community members so there is an age range there. It’s been cool for me to work with people much older than me, people younger than me, and people my own age and to make music in that setting.”
After its presentation at the MN Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, in 2014, Nature was honored in the Minneapolis Star Tribune as the “Best of 2014: Striking performances mark best in theater.”
Tickets for Nature are available at gustavustickets.com or by calling 5079337520. General admission is $18, Gustavus students and staff tickets are $5, and children twelve years and under are free.
The play runs about ninety minutes without intermission and will be performed outside in rain or shine. Audience members are encouraged to wear weatherappropriate clothing and comfortable shoes. Portable chairs and blankets are welcome.
“I’m really excited to have TigerLion Arts on our campus,” Dye said.
Rain or shine, this play for adults and children will take place as nature intended.