Michael Kary

After the death of his best friend, Jarod Lovekamp, on a camping trip, Austin Rockwell was convinced that his new camp ministry project, Camp Lope, was over. But after listening to the Lord, Rockwell has helped the camp reach heights that he would have never thought possible. Now called Kamp Love, the nonprofit has served more than 2,000 college students and trained more than 250 student volunteers with a mission of glorifying the Gospel while also paying homage to Lovekamp and his legacy. At a camping trip earlier this semester, the College of Arts and Media’s traveling theatre troupe, Parables, also made an appearance.

The entertainment industry can be an intimidating place, But luckily for COFAP students, the college hosted a Q+A session with “Identity Crisis” actress Laura Leigh Turner to learn more about what to expect after college. From the importance of of finding a Christian community to the patience that comes with navigating through auditions, Turner shared her journey with attendees. “This is exactly the kind of experiences that we want our students to have,” COFAP Dean Dr. Craig Detweiler said. “To have working professionals coming to campus, showing students how it’s done and sharing how their faith inspires their art.”

With so many different iterations of “The Addams Family” over the years, it’s no surprise that the Theatre Department was excited about making it the third play of the season. But the excitement extends beyond the iconic characters taking the Ethington Theatre stage — it also will be GCU’s first musical since before the pandemic. “I think there is just so much joy that comes along with a musical, so I think it’s just really a great atmosphere to bring back to GCU,” said Christian Shepard, who plays Wednesday Addams’ fiancé.

From murders to trap doors and secret passageways, there’s something for every mystery fan to enjoy this weekend as the theatre department returns to Ethington Theatre for its first play of the season, “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.” “The thing to take away is that we wanted to have the most fun to welcome people back into the theatre,” director Michael Kary said.

It’s a season of celebration as College of Fine Arts and Production performances make their grand return to Ethington Theatre. Audiences will be welcomed back with an array of musicals, comedies and dramas as well as the return of indoor dance concerts. “I think it’s going to be just a really enjoyable season,” COFAP Assistant Dean of Theatre and Dance William Symington said. “I can’t wait to get back in the theatre and feel that energy between the cast and the audience.”

The GCU Theatre Department had another big year at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Brandon Brown and Abby Yee made it to the finals of the Irene Ryan Acting Competition, and Morgan McCall was offered a $1,500 scholarship to the California Institute of the Arts program. “I really focus on the feedback that they get at this level of performance more than if they get trophies,” Acting instructor Michael Kary said. “We have been doing better and better. I think that our school has grown in reputation because of its presence at the festival over the last few years.”

Ethington Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s “Henry V” features epic sword fighting, stunning costumes and a tale of a king’s growth as a person. The play, which opens tonight, also contains an important message that is just as relevant today as it was when the show was written in 1599. “I think what people can take away is some hope for what a leader of a country can be like,” director Michael Kary said. “A leader that’s inspiring, a leader that wrestles with ethical issues, and the one thing that stuck out to me in this production is how often he turns to God throughout for his decision-making and giving God glory for whatever victories he has.”

A new season of Ethington Theatre plays begins Wednesday night with Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors.” In addition to debuting on the new outdoor stage, the production will showcase some original musical pieces adapted written by instructor Michael Kary and composed by theatre student Ryan Ardelt.

After reading a book by Alan Alda, South West Advanced Neurological Rehabilitation speech language pathologist Patricia Backus came up with the idea of incorporating improv into therapy sessions. She reached out to GCU’s Theatre Department and was connected with the Cantalopes, and for the past several months GCU’s improv group has worked alongside SWAN Rehab professionals to teach improv techniques to both staff and patients.

Halloween is right around the corner, which means it’s the perfect time to get in the spirit with “The Addams Family” at the Christian Youth Theater, where a group of GCU alumni are doing the creative and technical work. Alexandra Biggs called CYT “a natural fit” for all the GCU alumni and added, “I think that CYT’s mission aligns really well with GCU, and it’s nice to be working for a company that is kind of a ministry opportunity for alumni as well.”