Fresh faces show off their talents
It is that time of year again when the St. Ambrose Theatre Department prepares for its annual tradition – The Fresh Face Revue. This is a variety show where students new to the university can perform monologues, songs and scenes from various musicals or plays.
“The intent was to get first-year students involved and seen as soon as possible,” said Dr. Cory Johnson, theatre professor at St. Ambrose. “This is an opportunity for students to get their feet wet and to have the faculty and their fellows see them, whether it’s acting singing or both.”
This has been an annual event for eight years. It is produced by the Theatre Appreciation Club (TAC) and is open to any first-year or transfer students interested in theatre. This year there will be several acts showcasing the department’s new and exciting faces.
“Although we no longer have a major, we have a minor and at the theatre picnic, we had an amazing influx of first-year students,” Johnson said. “I am hopeful that we will have between 10 to 15 performers.”
Some of the veterans of the department serve as the show’s directors to help direct and fine-tune each of the first year’s acts. Senior K Hampton is one of those directors.
“I’m really excited to have an in-person event again,” Hampton said. “And actually be in the room with our new fresh faces to the department and have them be able to show off their amazing talents.”
The Fresh Face Revue is a great opportunity for performers who are new to Ambrose, and it gives returning students a chance to work on their directing skills by working with such a variety of acts and performances.
“It’s really fun for me to see them come out of their shells and get more comfortable with sharing their vulnerability with me,” Hampton said. “And being able to dive deeper into their characters.”
The Fresh Face Revue will take place on Friday, October 22, in the Allaert Auditorium.