![]() They are the thread that we hold onto in times of sadness, uncertainty, and celebration. Be it a romantic relationship, a father/daughter relationship, a friendship, or even an unsuccessful attempt at connection, relationships with other humans are what tie us together. Sasparella Trauffea is Dancing! is, at its heart, a story about relationships. ![]() In speaking with her, the cast was able to get a look at her creative process and better understand the development of their characters and nuances in their relationships. ![]() We also had the opportunity to speak with the local playwright and pick her brain, which is an experience that few community theatre actors get to have. We spent a lot of time in rehearsal dissecting the text and exploring the dynamics between characters. Since a radio show removes physical staging and visual design elements, rehearsing on Zoom provides a unique opportunity to bring character development and analysis to the forefront. I want to express my sincerest gratitude to GREAT theatre and KVSC for continuing to create memorable experiences and opportunities for all volunteers and staff involved. Even in the midst of a pandemic, we can still create beautiful and brave art for all to enjoy. This one-of-a-kind show provides its own challenges, of course, but moreover, it demonstrates the tenacity and resiliency of the arts. It has certainly been a joy for me to be able to bring theatre to the community again through GREAT theatre. Loosely inspired by the Dancing Plague of 1518, Sasparella Trauffea is Dancing! is a lighthearted story that is sure to brighten up the airwaves with some good old-fashioned joy. Enjoy!Ībby Schnobrich, Director of Sasparella Trauffea is Dancing! I mean that this play is about finding the thing that brings you joy, the thing that matters most to you in the whole world, and never, ever letting it go. Thus, when I tell say that this play is about following your dreams, I don’t mean finding some huge, existential purpose in life or making a million dollars. We are obsessed with the idea that living happily ever after means something huge and life-changing and dramatic, which is, frankly, as silly and reductive as it is unrealistic. Today when we tell kids to “follow their dreams” and to “dream big,” we mean “get away from your hometown, go to a fancy college, and find yourself a six-figure job in a big city.” In a way, this is just as limiting as the heteronormative, patriarchal concept of every story ending in a marriage. Belle marries the Beast, Cinderella finds her prince, Buttercup escapes with Wesley… Of course, today we understand that this idea of a happy ending doesn’t have to include a man, or even a romance. Thus, it isn’t actually all that surprising that I am making my return to the world of GREAT today with a piece of theatre that is, at its heart, both a celebration and a queering of the fairytale genre, in particular the “happily ever after” ideal we all long for. My sole memory of that production is sitting crouched on the floor in the first row of the Paramount balcony, hiding behind the safety rail so that the wolves wouldn’t be able to “get me.” Here began a two-pronged fascination: with theatre and with fairytales. I was six years old, and I was TERRIFIED. The first play I ever saw at GREAT-quite possibly the first play I saw ever-was the 2006 production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Her work has appeared both on stage and in print at the university and beyond, and she is excited to be going back to her “GREAT” roots with this project. Far from her hometown of Sartell, MN, she is studying English and theatre and is heavily involved in the campus’s theatre and publication scenes. Local playwright Meg Mechelke is a second year student at the University of Iowa. Sasparella Trauffea is Dancing! is the winning script from the 20/21 KVSC & GREAT Scriptwriting Competition. Sasparella Trauffea is Dancing!: An Original Radio Play
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