In 2012, Ryan Scott Oliver wrote and produced “35MM: A Musical Exhibition,” which bridged the gap between visual and performing art. The show consisted of a series of musical scenes which were inspired by the images that were projected around the actors. While each scene wasn’t very long, the overall show ended up taking an hour and a half.
The show was an experiment about the boundaries between arts that were designed to push the boundary on what theatre could be. And the result was an exhibition of the wildly different approaches to photography, acting, and pop or rock music.
This year, senior Musical Theatre students, Hao Tran and Rena Ruiz had to select a show to direct for their portfolio before graduation, and they decided to produce “35MM” here at Colorado Mesa University (CMU).
“I chose 35MM because I thought it would be a good show to show off the students and their vocal abilities,” Tran said. “I also chose this show to create collaborative opportunities, where students can be a part of making the show as well. It is the perfect format where we can bounce ideas off of each other and ultimately have everybody’s personalities crammed into every little nook and cranny of the show.”
The show, which stars Harvey Harkins, Isa Sanchez, Caymie Crone, Emily Weedon, and Kaedon Ottinger, ran casting calls during the first week of classes in August, where more than a dozen students auditioned for Tran and Ruiz.
“35MM” is free to students at CMU, and can serve as a fun evening out with friends who want to experience something other than the standard theatre fare of plays and musicals. The show starts at 7:30 PM, and the doors will be open at 6:00 PM. It will run for three nights in September, starting on the 21st and closing on the 23rd.
