SMSU Theatre to Present "The Enchanted Bookshop" on April 1-2

Published Thursday, March 09, 2023

The Enchanted Bookshop by Todd Wallinger

SMSU Theatre presents a family-friendly production of The Enchanted Bookshop on April 1-2

The SMSU Theatre Program welcomes families to see The Enchanted Bookshop by Todd Wallinger. Performances are Saturday, April 1, 2023 at 11 am and 2 pm, and Sunday, April 2, 2023 at 2 pm and 4 pm in the SMSU Fine Arts Theatre. Tickets are $5 for ages 12 and under and $10 for all others. Tickets will be available at the door. Admission is free for SMSU students and faculty with ID. Free parking is available in lot B-1.

The Enchanted Bookshop is about a bookstore with a secret – at night, the characters inside the books come alive! Dorothy Gale, Robin Hood, Pollyanna, Sherlock Holmes, Heidi, and Tom Sawyer long to help Margie, the scatterbrained owner, save her struggling store. But if they leave the building or are seen by human eyes, they’ll disappear. So when a pair of smugglers comes looking for a stolen necklace hidden inside one of the books, the characters are torn. Should they warn Margie and risk disappearing forever? Or can they find a way to defeat the crooks without being seen? Featuring additional appearances by the Queen of Hearts, Long John Silver, and Doctor Doolittle, this charming comedy celebrates the joy of reading in a fresh, fun-filled way. The Enchanted Bookshop is about an hour long and is best suited for ages 7 and up.

The Enchanted Bookshop is directed by Professor Sheila Tabaka of Marshall, Minn., who is also the costume designer. Assistant Professor of Theatre Tetta M. Askeland of Marshall, Minn. is the scenic co-designer and sound designer. Professor Nadine Purvis Schmidt of Estelline, So. Dak., is the producer and dialect consultant.

The cast and production team includes the following students:

Jasper Ale, a senior Theatre Arts major from Nigeria, is an assistant stage manager.
Tailer Benson, a senior Theatre Arts and Communication Studies double major from Elk River, Minn., plays the roles of Dorothy and Toto.
Brady Berg, a senior Theatre Arts major and Literature minor from Wells, Minn., plays the role of Eddie, and is also the lighting designer.
Laura Bradley, a freshman Secondary History Education and Theatre Arts double major from Brooklyn Park, Minn., plays the role of Robin Hood.
Brooke Burns, a junior Theatre Arts major and Entrepreneurship minor from Russell, Minn., plays the role of Heidi.
Kayla Clemons, a sixth-grader at Lakeview School in Cottonwood, Minn., plays the role of Officer Ketchum.
Ifrah Dahir, a freshman pre-Nursing Biology major from Marshall, Minn., plays the role of Bombalurina.
Alexander Duus, a junior Broadcasting and Digital Media major and Acting/Directing and Filmmaking minor from Tyler, Minn., plays the roles of Fagin, Doctor Doolittle, and Hopalong Cassidy.
Molly Green, a senior Theatre Arts major from Silver Lake, Minn., is the stage manager and props co-manager.
Colton Jensen, a senior Theatre Arts major and Political Science minor from Sanborn, Minn., plays the role of Fingers.
Makayla Kennedy, a sophomore Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education double major from Stewartville, Minn., plays the role of Pollyanna.
Ratsamee Lee, a junior Justice Administration major and Social Work minor from St. Paul, Minn., is an assistant stage manager.
Adelle Molina, a sixth-grader at Minneota Elementary School, plays the role of Timmy.
Bryn Mongeau, a junior Theatre Arts and Music double major from Beaver Creek, Minn., plays the role of Margie, and is also the scenic co-designer and props co-manager.
Nijie Nauden, a senior Biology major from Chicago, Ill., plays the role of the Book Fairy.
Kendrick Newton, a freshman from Griffin, Ga., is the sound board operator and an assistant stage manager.
Holli Olson, a substitute teacher for the Lakeview School District in Cottonwood, Minn., plays the role of Mom.
Alyster Schmidt, a freshman Theatre Arts major from Westbrook, Minn., plays the role of Tom Sawyer.
Brenna Springborg, a freshman from Marshall, Minn., plays the roles of the Lady in Red, the Queen of Hearts, and the Wicked Witch.
Jordan Stangeland, an SMSU Theatre Arts and Psychology alumnus from Marshall, Minn., plays the role of Long John Silver.
Fatu Tuitasi, a sophomore Justice Administration major from Oceanside, Calif., plays the role of Sherlock Holmes.