Members of the Santa Rosa Junior College Student Production Club have decided to hold a show of their own after the SRJC Theatre Arts faculty decided to cancel the production of “As You Like It.”
The faculty members canceled the second production due to staffing changes, SRJC’s Public Information Officer Sarah Laggos said.
The other production of the semester, “Orlando,” remains unaffected and will still open as planned March 1.
In light of the cancellation, however, the SRJC Student Production Club has decided to hold another show in its place.
Club member Logan Witthaus described the club as still in its infancy.
“The club was created initially so that we could help students have a place to do their own productions,” Witthaus said. He described the club as a place where like-minded individuals who want to get together and create theater can all do it in collaboration.
Witthaus said that the cancellation of “As You Like It” was a catalyst for the creation of the club, and the fact that “Orlando” has already been cast is their motivation to put on a show of their own.
“One opportunity for people is being taken away. So I think that’s why we wanted, more than anything, to give people another opportunity [for] something to do this semester versus the one department show,” Witthaus said.
Witthaus will be co-directing the entirely student-run production of “Much Ado About Nothing” alongside club president Gwenevieve Nelson.
Witthaus stressed that the show is a completely student-run production. “There’s going to be elements of it that might not be [as] up to par as some other productions you might have seen, or might not look as professional,” he said. “I think knowing that coming in, and understanding that you’re supporting the students, would be really nice.”
“Much Ado About Nothing” is scheduled to begin performances Thursday, April 25, until Sunday, April 28, with two shows on Saturday, April 27.
