Cedarville University Theatre brings C.S. Lewis story to the stage

Cedarville University Theatre presents “The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe,” opening Thursday, Feb. 1, in the DeVries Theatre at the Stevens Student Center. The play will run through Feb. 11. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.cedarville.edu/ticketinfo.

Acclaimed playwright Joseph Robinette has adapted the beloved C.S. Lewis novel of the same name to a staged version containing all the magic of the book. The story follows the four Pevensie children in their adventures in Narnia, a world only reached through a large wooden wardrobe. Lewis’ tale illustrates good triumphing over evil and waiting for the coming of the true king.

Dr. Dawn Schluetz, assistant professor of theatre, will be directing “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” as her first show at Cedarville University.

“I have really enjoyed the process so far,” said Schluetz, who joined the theatre faculty in August 2017. “I am very impressed with the actors and design team and all the collaboration that has occurred. There is no selfish thinking among the actors and everyone has had an attitude of service, which has been amazing to see.”

Schluetz’s directing concept revolves around the idea of Jove, the Roman god representing Jupiter. It is commonly thought that each of the books in the Narnia series represented a planet, with “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” representing Jupiter. Schluetz has drawn much of her of inspiration from Lewis’ poem “The Planets” and its depiction of the large planet.

“The thing that I have enjoyed the most about working on Narnia is being able to see this incredible and magical story come to life,” said Heather Lange, a senior theatre major from St. Cloud, Florida, who will play Susan Pevensie. “I have always loved the books and being able to reenact them is basically fulfilling a childhood dream.”

“Getting to know the cast more and becoming comfortable in a theatrical setting have been what I've enjoyed most,” said Zach Krauss, a pharmacy and music double-major from Temple, Texas, who will play Peter Pevensie. “I wasn't confident in my acting skills before, but I'm becoming more and more sure of myself as we continue to implement new ways to improve. I think the cast works really well together, so I hope the audience can see the chemistry that will be present on the stage.”

“I want the audience to be able to walk in, sit down and become a part of the world of Narnia,” said Schluetz. “I want them to leave feeling like they got a burst of energy to continue their normal lives.”

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,963 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.