Welcome to MLC Forum’s Student Information Page!
Forum is Martin Luther College’s theatre organization, which exists to equip students with creative and educational opportunities in the arts. Forum cultivates Christian artists who pursue excellence in their craft, develop skills for public ministry and service, and engage the liberal arts in thoughtful conversations about truth, goodness, and beauty.
Forum consists of a managing executive/artistic director, a student-elected board, and all the students in each staff, cast, and crew who dedicate their time, talents, and love of theatre to make it all happen.
Below you will find all current announcements.
If you have any questions, please contact Forum faculty advisor, Mrs. Christine Thompson (thompscm@mlc-wels.edu) or any member of your Forum board: President Noah Sulzle (sulzlenc@mlc-wels.edu), Vice-President Bailey Schwab (schwabbm@mlc-wels.edu), Treasurer Sophia Horn (hornsl@mlc-wels.edu), and Secretary Jenna Weigand (weiganjl@mlc-wels.edu).
FORUM BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Did you know your Forum board meets every week? They make plans for current productions, study possibilities for future productions, discuss improvements to Forum facilities and equipment, support current and future staff members, make decisions about changes to our organization, and much more! Take a look at our current minutes to see what we’ve been up to.
FORUM GREEN ROOM CALENDAR
Need to schedule a meeting time in the Forum Green Room? Check out our Google Calendar to see available times. For questions on the Green Room schedule, please check with our Forum Secretary, Jenna Weigand (weiganjl@mlc-wels.edu).
UPCOMING FORUM CALENDAR
| September 1 & 2, 4:00-10:00 pm | Joseph Musical Auditions |
| September 3, 7:45 pm | Joseph callbacks |
| September 4 | Joseph cast list announced |
| Tuesday, September 8 | First Musical Rehearsal and Crew Sign up Deadline |
| Tuesday, September 8 | Staff Applications OPEN for One Acts |
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Lyrics by Tim Rice Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
November 6-7, 7:30 pm; November 8, 2:00 pm
(Martin Luther College Auditorium)
Get ready for an unforgettable theatrical experience! This fall, MLC’s stage bursts to life with a vibrant celestial celebration of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Originally created as a “pop cantata” for a school choir in 1968, this beloved musical has evolved into Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rapid-fire, high-energy, international sensation, delighting audiences worldwide. MLC’s production will showcase the biblical story and iconic tunes, grounding them in the joy of a gospel-oriented perspective where what was intended for harm has been transformed into good. We invite you to join our heavenly disco and experience a dreamscape filled with technicolor delight, excitement, and joy!
Audition Information
Audition or sign up to get involved in MLC’s musical production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Auditions will be Tuesday and Wednesday, September 1 and 2 (4-10:00 PM) in the WCC auditorium. Check out the rehearsal schedule HERE.
What should I expect and how do I prepare for the audition?
Access a full audition packet HERE or pick up a paper copy of the audition materials on the bulletin board in the WCC.
Get familiar with the show. Watch the musical and listen to the audition music. Then find an audition group (or contact the production team if you are having trouble), sign up for a time slot, and then review your audition materials. At the audition, you will:
Sing: Choose from one of the song options available.
Act/Sing: You will sing and act out one musical scene with your audition group.
Dance: You and your group will perform simple choreography learned at the choreography workshop on Thursday, August 27 at 8:00 PM in the WCC auditorium. If unable to attend the workshop, the video lesson will also be posted HERE.
Production Crew Information
Forum offers lots of production crew opportunities—assisting with set construction, painting, making and finding props and costumes, and helping with the box office—that are vital to the show, offer you valuable experience, get you involved in the Forum community, and require less of a time commitment.
Sign up HERE to be contacted with more information about helping with props, costumes, set construction, painting, hair and make-up, or ushering/ticketing. Sign-up deadline is Tuesday, September 8.
JOSEPH FAQs
How do I learn more about being in the cast or on a crew ?
Come to one of our informational meetings held in the auditorium on Wednesday, August 26 at 6:15 PM or 7:45 PM.
When are rehearsals?
Sundays (7:00-10:00 PM), Mondays-Wednesdays (7:45-10:00 PM), and Thursdays (4:15-6:30 PM).
What if I have never been in a show before?
Forum is here to welcome, mentor, and help prepare you for ministry! We offer valuable experience in all aspects of a theatrical production. You are not expected to be a theater master. There are many roles both on and off-stage. If you are interested in learning, then you are in the right place!
What is the time commitment? Do I have to be at all rehearsals?
Being in the cast for a musical is a major commitment. It requires you to be present at most rehearsals, have some Saturday commitments, and PLAN AHEAD with your coursework prep so you are prepared for later rehearsals the week before the show. Please take a look at our rehearsal schedule so that you have a good idea of what to expect.
Do you have any questions? Feel free to contact Mrs. Christine Thompson (Forum Advisor and Musical Director) at thompscm@mlc-wels.edu; Kathy Wurster (Music Director) at wurstekm@mlc-wels.edu, Noah Sulzle (Forum President) at sulzlenc@mlc-wels.edu.
The Spaces Between
December 5, 7:30 PM; December 6, 2:00 pm
(Martin Luther College Auditorium)
This year’s one-acts are tender and poignant, poetically capturing how difficult it can be to step into the spaces between. They externalize characters’ inner lives and illuminate opportunities to embrace understanding, love, and loss. The Other Room by Ariadne Blayde uses four distinct characters to embody the thoughts and anxieties of Austin, a brilliant teenager with autism, as he navigates a budding friendship with classmate Lily. Adam Szymkowicz’s Kodachrome (one-act version) channels an “Our Town” aesthetic, with a photographer-narrator guiding the audience through her neighbors’ inner lives. Her snapshots reveal characters frozen in transition, learning to take the next step toward living. Experience a night of powerful storytelling, where each production inspires reflection, compassion, and the beauty of connection.
Student Staff Applications: OPEN Tuesday, September 8, CLOSE Sunday, September 13
Are you Interested in learning more about directing or producing? Consider applying for our One Acts staff positions! These opportunities are designed to provide you with supported experiential learning to help you continue to develop as a director or producer. Click on the links below to learn more.
Directors (Click HERE) will become comfortable with the basics of directing: ensemble building, picturization, pacing, and acting coaching. One Acts has a minimal set, minimal props, minimal lighting, and simplified costuming so that directors can focus on the basics. The shows selected are rehearsed in a very short time to give you a valuable but brief directing experience: Auditions are November 11, Rehearsal begins November 14, and the show is performed December 5 and 6.
Producing (Click HERE) for this show focuses more on MLC and community engagement. It offers you an opportunity to get creative in building excitement for a night of intimate storytelling.
Check out show synopses below, read them in the MLC library, and then consider applying (Click HERE September 8)!
The application deadline is 11:59 pm on Sunday, September 13. Interviews with Mrs. Thompson and the Forum Board will be at 6 pm and after on Tuesday, September 15.
If you want to learn more, please chat with a Forum Board member or Mrs. Thompson. We’d love to hear from you!
Welcome Home: A Musical Theatre Concert
January 30 7:30 pm
(Martin Luther College Auditorium)
Welcome Home: A Musical Theatre Concert reunites former Martin Luther College students Ryan Kluba, Leah Wendland, and Noah Ungemach with their teacher, Kathy Wurster, for an unforgettable evening of Broadway music. Reconnect with familiar faces, celebrate alumni success, and enjoy an entertaining night of exceptional music-making. Through favorite show tunes and heartfelt storytelling, this concert celebrates mentorship, homecoming, and the lasting connections forged through music
Ada and the Engine
Written by Lauren Gunderson
February 19-20, 7:30 PM; February 21, 2:00 pm
(Martin Luther College Auditorium)
As the Industrial Revolution dawns, mathematics prodigy Ada Byron Lovelace envisions a future of algorithmic possibilities. But caught between her mother’s demands for societal stability and her father, Lord Byron’s, legacy of poetic passion, she is forced to make hard decisions and finds a soulmate in the eccentric inventor Charles Babbage. Together, they dare to dream of the world’s first computer. But will their own limitations get in the way of this daring invention? One of the most produced modern American playwrights, Lauren Gunderson crafts lively, clever historical scripts that spark with wit and fast-paced humor. Step into history reimagined, wrestle with powerful themes that challenge you to consider what you value most, and dare to dream boldly while considering how to live wisely.
The Wizard of Oz
Based on the book by L. Frank Baum. Adapted by Anne Coulter Martens
May 1, 3:00 & 7:00 pm
(Martin Luther College Auditorium)
Discover that there’s no place like the original magic of L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz. Anne Coulter Martens’ masterful adaptation brings this beloved tale to life as a vibrant, non-musical stage play bursting with whimsical characters, physical comedy, and enchanting storybook verse. Journey down the Yellow Brick Road and be captivated by the imagination of this timeless tale of friendship, bravery, and the quest for home. Audiences of all ages will be swept away into this enduring classic.
