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Riverland Community College Theatre Faculty Susan V Hansen announces the 2024-25 theater season. The shows this year will include two musicals, a classic Shakespeare, and a showcase of Riverland student work. Tickets are now on sale.

Just in time for Halloween, the season opens Oct. 30 with “Carrie: The Musical,” with music by Michael Gore, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, book by Lawrence D. Cohen, based on the novel by Stephen King. Carrie White is a teenage outcast who longs to fit in. At school, she’s bullied by the popular crowd, and virtually invisible to everyone else. At home, she’s dominated by her loving but cruelly controlling mother. What none of them know is that Carrie’s just discovered she’s got a special power, and if pushed too far, she’s not afraid to use it. Warning: This production is based on a horror novel and contains acts of bullying, violence and metaphysical concepts. Appropriate audience is 16+. “Carrie: The Musical” is directed by Randy Forster.

The second production, Dec. 6 and 7, is “The Spotlight,” an evening of performances showcasing Riverland Theatre students. It will be an entertaining evening of scenes, monologues and songs performed by Riverland Theatre students as they prepare to attend the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Des Moines, Iowa, this January. Susan V. Hansen will direct.

“Richard III” by William Shakespeare opens Feb. 26. Richard of Gloucester shares his every move with the audience as he begins his unscrupulous climb to the top. This charismatic tyrant manipulates and murders his way to governing. He promises, charms and encourages as he disposes men and conquers women. The York family comes to realize that although they might have fought to reach the safety of leadership, their most lethal enemy is among their own party. The play is a gripping exploration of ambition, power and the consequences of moral corruption adapted and directed by Hansen.

Closing out the season is the musical “Footloose,” set to the energetic rhythms of its Oscar and Tony-nominated score. Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small town where dancing is banned by a strict local preacher. As Ren challenges the town’s rigid rules, he catches the eye of the preacher’s rebellious daughter, sparking tension with her boyfriend and the community. The story explores the clash between generations and the healing power of music. “Footloose” celebrates the importance of understanding and guiding youth with compassion and an open mind. The stage adaptation is by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, based on the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford, music by Tom Snow, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, additional music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins and Jim Steinman.

Individual tickets to all shows are now on sale for the season. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.riverland.edu/tickets, or by phone. To receive more information, call the Riverland Theatre Box Office at (507) 433-0595, email boxoffice@riverland.edu, or visit the web site and download the brochure at www.riverland.edu/theatre. Individual ticket prices for “Carrie: The Musical” and “Footloose” are $16 and $13 for “The Spotlight” and “Richard III.” Riverland students receive two free tickets to each production.

Riverland Theatre strives to provide quality productions that are entertaining and challenging to both the audience and the artists. Because it reaches such a diverse audience, some audience members may find some subject matter, language or situations objectionable. If you have concerns about a specific production, people are encouraged to become familiar with the material before attending the performance.

Riverland’s Theatre Department is a high-energy performance-oriented program. Plays produced vary from classical tragedy to modern comedy and from full-scale large cast musicals to intimate, small cast plays. Students are encouraged to get involved in all areas of theatre production. including, but not limited to, acting, stage managing, set building and painting. Strong academic offerings provide challenges in and out of the classroom.

Riverland Community College, a member of the Minnesota State system, is a community college that strives to transform lives through excellence in service, education, and career training.

Approximately 4,300 students are served annually through a wide range of credit-based educational opportunities. Riverland is an Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), with campuses located in Albert Lea, Austin and Owatonna, Minnesota, and online at www.riverland.edu.

Minnesota State includes 26 community and technical colleges and seven state universities serving approximately 340,000 students. It is the third-largest system of two-year colleges and four-year universities in the United States.