New theatre group provides unique experience

By AMANDA WALDE

Students in dire search of an atypical experience this fall — look no further.

The NIU theatre department has put together a taste of the unordinary for all NIU students. In correlation with the Campus Activities Board, the College of Performing Arts has created a student run organization by the name of Northern Student Repertory Theatre, better known as iNSeRT.

Adam Liston, the artistic director for the theatre department and founding creator of iNSeRT, said he is enthusiastic about the new student group.

iNSeRT’s mission is to provide a framework and support network for all students with a love for theatre or for those seeking to gain exposure in the world of performing arts. Productions sponsored by iNSeRT will include a wide variety of non-traditional shows including quirky musicals and comedies, Liston said.

“This is an exciting way to involve such a wide variety of people who have interest in making great shows. In our auditions so far, we’ve seen people from the nursing department, all the way to the college of law,” Liston said. “We feel very fortunate to have a partnership with CAB. They have great organizational structure and marketing experience. It will really help to get iNSeRT off the ground.”

Jessica Moquin, assistant vice president of fine arts for CAB, finds the new student group promising.

“This is more of a door-opening situation. You don’t necessarily had to have had experience in theatre to try out for productions,” Moquin said.

iNSeRT’s first production is a new variation of “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” For those interested in participating in the re-enactment, auditions will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday in the Stevens Building, Room 226.

Junior theatre major Phil Beaupre said he would like to be involved with iNSeRT.

“I did a program similar to this one last year and I liked it a lot. It gives us the full freedom to do what we want without professors telling us what to do. We get to choose the shows, and raise money for the props we use,” Beaupre said.

“Rocky Horror Picture Show” will be shown at 9 p.m. Oct. 24, 25 and 31, and Nov. 1. in the Players auditorium.

For more information on iNSeRT, join the Northern Student Repertory Theatre group on Facebook.