ESU Summer Theatre Features Comedy and Rock Musical
Emporia, KS (06/09/2025) — ESU Summer Theatre Features Comedy and Rock Musical
The Emporia State University Summer Theatre Company season will be two productions in June, the first step to bringing back a four-show season presented over eight weeks.
The first show, "Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook," opens Friday, June 13, with four performances set for the weekend - and children may attend for free.
This family-friendly show features Junie B. Jones, a kindergartner whose new furry mittens are stolen, which leads to many adventures. From the show description: when Junie B. finds a wonderful pen of many colors, she should be allowed to keep it, right? Because finders, keepers; losers, weepers. And guess what? There's a new boy in kindergarten and he is the handsomest. The only thing is both Grace and Lucille want him to be their boyfriend. Maybe he will love Junie B. when he sees her wonderful pen! It is okay to keep it, right? Junie B. Jones is not a crook or is she? A hilarious and heartfelt tale based on the best-selling book series by Barbara Park.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, both 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. All in the Karl C. Bruder Theatre in King Hall.
The second show is "Spring Awakening," an angsty rock musical adaptation of the seminal play about the trials and tribulations of growing up. The Tony Award-winning play from Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater is described as an electrifying fusion of morality, sexuality and rock and roll. The musical is for mature audiences only.
"Spring Awakening" also features four shows. It opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 27, then continues at both 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 28, with the final performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 29. All shows will be in the Ronald Q. Frederickson Theatre in Roosevelt Hall.
Tickets for each show cost $18 for adults and $13 for seniors, ESU employees and Theatre Guild members. Students get in free (and children for "Junie B. Jones Is Not A Crook").
Order tickets at emporia.edu/tickets.
ESU Summer Theatre Program
The 2025 company for ESU Summer Theatre features 28 people. Of those, 25 are ESU students, one is an Emporia community member and two are students from community colleges in Des Moines and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
They are chosen through auditions and are assigned their roles for all summer productions at the beginning of the season. These roles include on-stage characters as well as work on technical crews such as costume, props, lighting and sound.
Aubrey Wilson, ESU director of theatre, is an alum of the ESU program and remembers well the hard work and thrill of presenting four consecutive shows during the summer with just 10 days between one show closing and the next opening. Her goal is to return to that schedule.
"Working on summer theatre is a wonderful experience for ESU students interested in careers in the performing arts," Wilson said. "In addition, community members have told me over and over that they would love to support a four-show season, which provides entertainment every other weekend."
About Emporia State University
Emporia State University offers a range of academic programs through its institute and seven schools: Applied Health Sciences, Business & Technology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary Studies, Library and Information Management & Library and Archives, Science & Mathematics and Visual and Performing Arts, along with The Teachers College.
ESU stands out for its innovative education practices. It ensures accessible education by offering in-state tuition rates to full-time undergraduate students from all lower-48 United States. Additionally, full-time undergraduates benefit from flat-rate tuition - students enrolled in 12 or more credit hours with at least one credit hour on campus pay a flat rate.
For more information on how to build your future at Emporia State University, please visit www.emporia.edu.
Emporia State University
Gwendolynne Larson, ESU director of media relations, (620) 341-5528, glarson1@emporia.eduShare this Story
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