California Lutheran University’s Theater Arts and Dance Department is performing their musical production “Starmites,” by Barry Keating and Stuart Ross, directed by Brent Ramirez.
The production will run from Thursday, April 11 to Sunday, April 13 at 8 p.m., then pick up the week after on Thursday, April 18 through Saturday, April 20 at 8 p.m. Its final day of production is set to be on Sunday, April 21 at 2 p.m.
“It’s about a girl who’s really obsessed with comics, and she ends up going into the comic world and fighting a bunch of villains,” first-year student and an actor in “Starmites” Randi Maciel said.
Fight choreographer and “Starmites” actor Jason D. Rennie said the musical genre is very different from their last production which was Greek mythology.
“I would say the genre is a bit of fantasy, but it’s also along the lines of things like “She Kills Monsters” and “Puffs,” where it’s a take on a fantastical world brought into a realistic setting,” Rennie said.
Rennie said that it is great seeing the actors immerse themselves in the show while having fun.
Junior and costume designer Zoe Monge said the play has been a learning process in both learning and coordinating with other groups while trying to get information across to everybody. Monge also said it is exciting to see all of the costumes together and the play take its form.
First-year student and “Starmites” actor Rhianna Smith said she enjoyed getting to know her cast members and having a good time with them. “Starmites” actor and first-year Fiona Martin said the cast members’ bond is applicable on and off the stage.
“I love bonding with everyone else, I’ve never bonded as closely with people,” Martin said.
Monge said the play is about staying true to who you are as a person and finding your community and your family.
“It’s a very silly, fun show, but I think that’s what’s at its core,” Monge said.
The musical will have audience immersing opportunities and is accompanied by choreographed fight scenes and songs.
“I think there are a handful of things that we’ve been calling Easter eggs, I would just recommend that anyone that comes to see the show, keep an eye out for all of the little subtle references that are being made toward the cultural, especially the Sci-Fi gamer culture and the comic book culture that the cast has been putting in,” Rennie said.
