A class of 14 students has spent the entire semester converting an Indiana author's book into an original musical.
Associate professor of theater and dance Beth Turcotte and her immersive learning class have adapted the Cathy Day novel, "The Circus in Winter."
Turcotte said the story is loosely based on a man in turn of the century Peru, Ind., who purchases a circus and the good and bad things that happen as a result.
"Tony Edmonds [used] the book in his class, and the students loved it. That's how it got started," she said.
The class consists of 14 students who all contributed to the musical, which will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday in Sursa Performance Hall. The cost of the show is $5 and all proceeds will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware County.
The students have been preparing the musical the whole semester and are receiving a full semester load of 15 credit hours for their participation.
Turcotte said the two-hour musical will include 22 original folk-rock songs and dialogue.
Junior Maren Ritter wrote some of the music and scenes for the musical and said the music is something that people won't be expecting.
"The show will surprise audiences," she said. "I don't think they'll be expecting such a professional caliber musical. Ben Clark, who wrote a lot of the music, did a fabulous job, and we're all proud of how it turned out."
Ritter also said the music is memorable and will stick with people for a while.
"We've seen people leave the rehearsals after hearing some of the songs, humming and remembering them," she said.
The show will also be performed in the Drury Lane Theater in Chicago on Monday.
"These kids have worked really hard on this," Turcotte said. "I'm excited to see how it turned out."
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