Slippery Rock opens 1st live theater show since pre-pandemic days, ‘Techies’
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Tyler Parsonage of Murrysville is grateful for the new opportunities that online theater productions offered during the covid-19 pandemic, “but I don’t think it’ll ever compare to a live show,” he said.
The 21-year-old Slippery Rock University junior is part of a group that will bring the first live theater production back to the school since early 2020. And it will take place inside a newly renovated, 753-seat facility, part of a $33 million expansion project at the SRU Performing Arts Complex.
“Techies” is a musical written by lyricist Sam Carner and composer Derek Gregor that will see its premiere at Slippery Rock’s Miller Theater, Nov. 18-22.
The show chronicles the conflict between the actors and the tech crew in a high school theater production.
As a theater design and technology major, it’s a topic near and dear to Parsonage’s heart.
“Some of the actors who play the ‘techies’ in the musical came to shadow us at work a couple of times, and have helped with painting the set, which is very cool and much appreciated,” he said.
The show will serve as not only a return to live theater, but also a showcase for students in the university’s bachelor of fine arts in acting program with a concentration in musical theater, a program in just its third year at Slippery Rock.
“This is a big deal in the sense that, after almost two years, we’re coming back to doing live theater again,” said Aaron Galligan-Stierle, assistant professor of theatre and the show’s director. “We chose ‘Techies’ because we really wanted to find a piece that spoke to why we do what we do. It’s about connection, belonging and just the love of the theater in general.”
Sticking to school covid protocols, Parsonage said actors worked with Allegheny Health Network and the university’s health center to sanitize shared spaces, test students regularly and wear masks all the way up until dress rehearsals on Monday, in order to ensure that students could safely perform the show mask-free.
“I’m just excited to be back doing a production at the sound board and seeing a live show come together again,” Parsonage said.
He has also brought along several years of experience from his time working on Franklin Regional musicals.
“I learned a lot of baseline stuff in stage crew at FR that has been really helpful to me, like using tools, coiling cable, basic knowledge of the fly system, those kinds of things,” he said.
Show times are 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18-20 and Nov. 22, and 2 p.m. Nov. 21.
Tickets are $12 for SRU students with a valid student ID and $15 for general admission. Tickets can be purchased at the door within one hour of start times, or in advance online at SRU.edu/tickets or at the Smith Student Center information desk.
“I can’t wait for people to see it,” Parsonage said.