In keeping with the love-struck valentine-filled month of February, the Cameron University Department of Art, Music and Theatre Arts presents “I Love You Because,” a bubbly musical comedy loosely adapted from Jane Austen’s beloved novel, “Pride and Prejudice.” The production takes place from February 20 through February 23. The curtain goes up on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m. in the latest product of the theatre program’s 2024-25 season, “Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart.”
Tickets cost $12 for adults and $10 for seniors, military, Cameron faculty and staff, and non-CU students. Cameron University students and faculty receive one free admission with their CU I.D. Tickets can be reserved by calling the Box Office at 580-581-2346 or purchased online at https://www.cameron.edu/art-music-and-theatre/events/buy-tickets.
“I Love You Because” showcases young adults navigating love, lust and everything in between in the bustling metropolis of New York City, where a young, uptight greeting card writer’s life is changed when he meets a flighty photographer. Along with their eccentric friends and siblings, they learn to love each other not in spite of their faults, but because of them.
The production is recommended for mature audiences only and may contain content that some audience members may find objectionable.
Comanche’s Shayson Lenee’ Hodges as Diana and Duncan’s Victoria Spruill play Diana and Marcy, two women trying to find the right man by “finding the wrong man” first, which, as Marcy puts it, “shouldn’t take too long” in a city like New York. Mvnte July of Tulsa and Victor Rosario Quinones of Lawton play Jeff and Austin Bennett, brothers who are navigating their own tangle of romantic relationships under the glaring lights of the Big Apple. Also in the cast are Grace Norbury of Lawton and Ryan Kaye of Greeley, Colo., who keep things moving in various ensemble roles.
Duncan’s Natalie Small oversees costume design as her capstone project via costume design. Tamia Johnson of Graceville, Fla., works as props master and with help from Lawton’s Theo Cognet as props assistant. Skylar Edwards, Las Vegas, Nev., runs the show as the production’s stage manager; Rhia Pettigrew, Lawton, serves as assistant stage manager. Jaiden Standridge, Duncan, is the light board operator and assists in the costume shop, with Alexzander Ernest, Lawton, as sound board operator. Gabriella Aguillar-Freeman, Oberkirch, Germany, assists as wardrobe crew, and Duncan’s Jaiden Standridge and Alexander Bliefernich, Lawton, are the spot operators. Joceline Hernandez, Houston, Texas, plans the lobby display as publicity manager.
The pit orchestra consists of CU students Matthew Hogg, Haylie Kousman and Alyssa Price, Lawton; Owen Ellis, Yukon; and Mykayla Waller, Altus.
Guiding the students through the production are director and choreographer Dr. Natalie McCabe, music director Dr. Gregory Hoepfner, assisted by instructor Jean Gerald Tartière as costume shop manager, assistant professor Ben Williams as technical director, scenic designer and lighting designer; and theatre facilities manager Joseph Roberts on sound.
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PR# #25-019
