'The Coloring Book' children's production coming to Northwestern's Herod Hall Auditorium stage

November 7, 2019

Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s fine arts department will present its second theatrical production of the year—its annual children’s show “The Coloring Book” on Nov. 21-22 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day in Herod Hall Auditorium. Elementary school classes from Alva and the area are invited to attend on these two dates. Everyone is welcome to come see the pages of the play come to life on Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. Admission for all shows is $1.25 per person.

Dr. Kimberly Weast, professor of theatre arts at Northwestern and director of the production, said that the play addresses a lot of pertinent issues between-the-lines and is a show people won’t want to miss.

“The Coloring Book” takes place inside the pages of a coloring book where characters and colors clash when they aren’t done by the same artist and in the same way.

“Animals in a coloring book are thrilled when a little boy begins to embellish them with crazy colors and off-the-wall flourishes,” Weast said. “But when the boy’s older sister begins coloring other pages in more lifelike hues, social divisions begin to form and friendships are challenged. Will existence as they know it break down?”

As one may imagine, many hands and hearts must go into such a production to bring such a colorful story to life.

The theatre production features actors Rylee Johnson, Amarillo, Texas, speech and theatre sophomore, as Word A; Madison Wilson, Alva history senior, as Word B; Chuy Dominguez, Laverne mass communication sophomore, as Benny the Calf; Sydney Endsley, Meno speech and theatre sophomore, as Paulina the Polar Bear; Angie Cook, Mutual early childhood education freshman, as Neve the Rabbit; Jasmine Bowen, Del City mass communication freshman, as Alice the Monkey; Maleah Schmitz, Alva speech and theater sophomore, as Diana the Cat; Tanya Crain, Lamont music freshman, as Jacqui the Pig; Dena Walker, associate professor of mathematics at Northwestern, as Sally the Vet; Chris Chauncey, Cordell mathematics sophomore, as Eddie the Guinea Pig; Destiny Chew, Elgin criminal justice freshman, as Autumn the Fish; and Aliyah Bidwell, Greenfield mass communication freshman, as Ember the Fish.

Working behind the scenes, there are many other theater crew members who bring the pages to high-definition. Set design is being created by Mickey Jordan, Northwestern’s director of technical theater and Herod Hall facilities manager; costumes are being designed and sewn by lead seamstress Schmitz along with Endsley, Chloe Nutley, Elk City mathematics senior, and community member Bekah Cudd; makeup is being created and applied by Johnson; lighting casts its glow on the stage thanks to Weast; audio design is resonating throughout the auditorium with work from Chauncey; the coloring book set is being created by Rachel Davis, Northwestern alumna; and the production on the stage comes together thanks to stage manager Katherine Blair, Waynoka music senior.

For additional information on the children’s production, contact Weast at (580) 327-8462 or kkweast@nwosu.edu.

                                                                                                -NW-